Dear Tomorrow
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Loneliness among young adults is a global phenomenon, recently also discussed frequently in national media. Even as the world becomes increasingly connected, many people feel lonelier than ever and long for the presence of another person. In an increasingly digital world, genuine human contact is more and more often replaced by technology, and in Japan the situation has already led to a loneliness epidemic.
Dear Tomorrow follows two protagonists living in Tokyo, struggling to find meaning in their lives. Their studies are over and life is supposedly ready, but their social circles have disappeared. Both live, in their own ways, outside the norms of Japanese society. Approaching forty, neither has started a family, and work offers little fulfillment.
Masato has furnished a beautiful home, but it has become like a solitary cell. Throughout the documentary, he unburdens himself to a Buddhist monk and acquires a pet owl to ease his loneliness. Shoko makes music to cope, but has not performed it publicly for a long time. She reconnects with an old friend, though rekindling the relationship proves challenging.
The film also offers a broader view of Japanese society through A Place for You, a volunteer organisation providing chat-based support. Even the chat service cannot respond to all messages, as loneliness in Japan is so widespread that the country has established the world’s first Ministry of Loneliness.
Viktoria Murskaja (translated by Anni Rossi)
