Hiroshi Okuyama's Minimalist Film My Sunshine Explores Queer Ambiguity in Remote Japan
Hiroshi Okuyama's film My Sunshine, set to release in 2024, tells the story of Takuya, a reserved boy living on a secluded northern Japanese island, who becomes enamored with figure skater Sakura. Arakawa, a former champion and openly gay coach, volunteers to train them, delving into the lives of outcasts in a restrictive society. The film's minimalist style highlights unexpressed feelings and transient queer happiness, featuring soft blues and muted whites. The lines between mentorship and ambiguous intimacy blur as Sakura halts her training, leading Arakawa to depart with his partner, while Takuya transitions to ice hockey. Okuyama intentionally leaves the narrative open-ended, echoing themes found in Barry Jenkins's Moonlight (2016) and the films of Luca Guadagnino. My Sunshine will be featured in the Autumn 2025 edition of ArtReview Asia.
Key facts
- Hiroshi Okuyama directed the 2024 film My Sunshine
- The film is set on a remote snowy island in northern Japan
- Keitatsu Koshiyama plays Takuya, a shy boy fascinated by figure skating
- Kiara Nakanishi portrays Sakura, a figure skater who captivates Takuya
- Sosuke Ikematsu plays Arakawa, a gay former ice-skating champion turned coach
- Arakawa offers to train Takuya and Sakura for free after spotting Takuya imitating Sakura
- The film uses a minimalistic visual palette of pale blues, ashen whites, and soft greys
- My Sunshine is discussed in the Autumn 2025 issue of ArtReview Asia
Entities
Artists
- Hiroshi Okuyama
- Keitatsu Koshiyama
- Kiara Nakanishi
- Sosuke Ikematsu
- Barry Jenkins
- Luca Guadagnino
- William S. Burroughs
Institutions
- ArtReview Asia
Locations
- Japan
- Miami
- Mexico City
- Ecuador