TIFF Dispatch 1: Catching Up with Big Prize Winners and Finding Smaller Surprises

Elsewhere in TIFF's programming, one film with queer subject matter made for a low-key highlight. In the festival's Centrepiece section (think of it as a grab bag of world cinema) is Hiroshi Okuyama's sophomore feature "My Sunshine." Set on the Japanese island Hokkaido, the young hockey player Takuya (Keitatsu Koshiyama) finds himself more interested in figure skating after watching Sakura (Kiara Nakanishi) practice her skills on the rink. Sakura's coach Arakawa (Sōsuke Ikematsu) notices Takuya's interest, takes a shine to him, then has him train with Sakura as a duo for an upcoming competition.

What's surprising about "My Sunshine" is how precise it is for a film designed to be as unassuming as possible. Okuyama, who directed, wrote, co-edited, and even did his own cinematography, shows off plenty of skill in his compositions (most of the landscape shots of the snowy small town resemble old postcards), pacing, and command of tone, yet his execution is so modest it's easy to take it for granted. Part of that could have to do with Okuyama's tendency to sidestep expectation, like when Takuya's family has no issues with him choosing figure skating over hockey, or any scenes between Arakawa and his boyfriend (Ryûya Wakaba), which might be one of the more wholesome portrayals of a gay relationship on screen this year. One might look at "My Sunshine" and see very little given its humble presentation, but those willing to adjust to its particular wavelength should find plenty to enjoy from its gentle challenging of gender norms.