The Friends

The Friends (夏の庭), directed by Shinji Somai, is a heartwarming and poignant story about friendship, loss, and the search for meaning. This 1994 Japanese film explores the lives of three young friends who, in the summer of their lives, are confronted with the complex reality of adulthood.

The story follows three children who spend their summer vacation at their grandfather’s house, where he teaches them valuable life lessons. When they discover that their grandfather is seriously ill, they begin to see the world in a new light. The Friends takes the viewer back to the innocent, yet intense moments of youth, and how those experiences continue to shape the rest of our lives. It is a poetic and melancholic reflection on the friendships that define us and the inevitable changes we undergo as we grow older.

With the playful yet meaningful style that Somai is known for, The Friends captures both the beauty of childhood friendships and the weight of loss. It is a film that tells the essence of youthful adventures and the pain of farewell with equal emotion and subtlety.

Introduction by Tim Deschaumes.
Tim wrote about Shinji Somai, the director of this coming-of-age masterpiece The Friends, the essay Sōmai Shinji, the Forgotten Master of Long Take and Coming-of-Age Cinema.

All images: © 1994 “The Friends”