The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat

It is 1988, and the Haneko family is living with the grandparents, their lives marked by the loss of the youngest son, Seiji. The mother becomes entangled in her unresolved grief, while the other family members keep their own tensions and secrets buried beneath the surface. Young Yamabuki and Beni serve as silent witnesses to a family slowly disintegrating. Their contrasting responses — withdrawal versus confrontation — illustrate the different ways people cope with loss and guilt.
With The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat, Yukihiro Morigaki (adapting the novel by Haruna Terachi) portrays a family chronicle spanning 25 years, in which grief, memory, and hope take center stage.
His first feature film debut, GOODBYE GRANDPA! (2017), was screened at numerous international film festivals and received multiple awards. Before his succes in the film industry, Morigaki has directed several successful television dramas and documentaries.

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