The Cinematheque

Vancouver Premiere

“A tender story of redemptive connection … All the Long Nights is steadfast in its refusal to villainize anyone or anything, except that stubborn little voice that lives inside your head and delights in insisting you’re not good enough.”

Jessica Kiang, Variety

Two coworkers with socially isolating conditions discover a sense of belonging in Miyake Sho’s All the Long Nights, a quiet drama that gathers its emotional resonance in small, calculated strides. Misa (Kamishiraishi Mone, of Your Name) suffers from severe PMS, which can unravel her otherwise demure disposition with violent disregard for personal or professional company. Holding down a job assembling science kits for kids, she befriends Takatoshi (Matsumura Hokuto, of Suzume), a withdrawn colleague prone to debilitating panic attacks. Miyake, adapting a novel by Seo Maiko, choreographs the blossoming relationship with gentle humour and sensitivity while nimbly avoiding the pitfalls of a routine office picture. Far from being an incidental backdrop, the workplace emerges as a beacon of connection. The optimism might be on the sweeter side, but it’s a refreshing balm to the bitterness of so much else today.

In Japanese with English subtitles

“Gently empathetic and sharply observant … The autumnal palette of cinematographer Tsukinaga Yuta brings an evocative beauty to the proceedings.”

Mark Schilling, Japan Times

“With [this] stargazing melodrama, Miyake Sho confirms his hushed, unhurried style … A film that gradually starts to feel like a cozy sweater.”

Rory O’Connor, The Film Stage