AN
CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA D: Naomi Kawase. Japan/France/Germany. 113 min. Sep 14, 4:45 pm Isabel Bader Sep 16, 9:15 am TIFF Bell Lightbox 4 Sep 20, 12:15 pm AGO. See tiff.net. Rating: NNN
Kawase’s charming fable about a master maker of dorayaki, Japanese pancakes filled with an (red bean paste), is a recipe for how to live happily.
Its Buddhist sensibility is well-served by the unassuming little old lady (the radiant Kirin Kiki) whose offer to help a struggling baker turns his bakery into a going concern. Her secret formula for dorayaki becomes a metaphor for living a satisfying life, even though it may be filled with obstacles.
Not since Tampopo has there been a Japanese movie that whets the cinematic appetite so tantalizingly. Pity that its only downside is a tendency toward the overly sweet.