The latest work by Yukisada Isao, who is establishing his own refined sub-genre, crafting films about love rendered with an exquisite and subtle sensitivity. He narrates the scenes of a heartbreaking love story, weaving it together like the threads of a delicate fabric. The director, who spent ten years preparing this film adaptation of the original novel, uses emotionally charged images to depict the longing, jealousy and frustration of a love. Hayama and Izumi’s attraction for each other exceeds the boundaries of a high school teacher-student relationship. After entering college, Izumi meets Hayama again but feels too constrained by reality to accept her love. When Ono, a college boy, appears to Izumi, she accepts his heart, but Hayama is still on her mind. Noticing this, Ono is hurt and eaten up with jealousy. It is the acute pain of loving someone who loves someone else. Many films have dealt with similar subject matter, but the excellent performances will deeply move audiences. Matsumoto Jun and Arimura Kasumi both take up the roles of heartrending lovers, while Sakaguchi Kentaro plays the heroine’s boyfriend with seasoned skill. (KIM Young-woo)