This classic summer adventure movie, set in a small village in Nagasaki during 1986, is a whimsical throwback to the halcyon days of childhood.

Young Hisada befriends fellow fifth-grader Kenji, who is shunned by others due to his family’s poverty. One day, the pair head to explore Boomerang Island, where they hope to see a pod of dolphins reported to be in the area. The journey deepens their friendship and gives them a summer holiday to remember. Not long after their return, however, a heart-breaking event puts their ongoing friendship in peril...

Reminiscent of Rob Reiner’s classic Stand By Me, this warm-hearted tale is teeming with nostalgia for the excitement of childhood and filled with heaps of authentic 1980s Japanese culture.

The UK’s largest festival of Japanese cinema, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2024, returns to Watershed with its biggest showcase ever, another exciting lineup showcasing the versatility and uniqueness of Japanese cinema. This year's theme is Unforgettable: Memories, Times and Reflections in Japanese Cinema.

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