Slice of Life

Midnight Diner 2　

続・深夜食堂

Directed by: Joji Matsuoka
2016 / 108 minutes / All

SHARING SOUP, STIRRING STORIES

Screened as part of JFF 2017

A man called ‘Master’ (Kaoru Kobayashi) begins his day as others end theirs, opening his small izakaya (pub) from midnight until seven in the morning. The hole-in-the-wall restaurant is a simmering pot where the eclectic characters of nocturnal Tokyo gather to stew over their stories.

The film follows the stories of three ordinary individuals with a lot on their plates. Literary editor Noriko (Aoba Kawai), who mourns her stressful working days by wearing black, finds herself having to actually attend a funeral. Overprotective mother Seiko (Midoriko Kimura) disapproves of her son’s fiancé, despite them being friends. An elderly dementia patient Yukiko Ogawa (Misako Watanabe) becomes involved in a scam when she travels to Tokyo in search of her estranged son.

As these individuals pore over their worries, Master serves up homely delights and timely life advice. And as other customers begin to console one another, a family is born.

Joji Matsuoka’s Midnight Diner 2 is a slice of life drama that not only warms the soul but gives food for thought. The film goes beyond the walls of the izakaya and explores the challenges of managing relationships with our families and colleagues.

+ Short Film

Short documentary film san in <> sydney by Sydney-based chef Yu Sasaki will be screened before Midnight Diner 2 in Sydney.