Our Little Sister Hepburn: Umimachi Diary, lit. “Seaside town diary”) is a 2015 Japanese film directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, starring Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho and Suzu Hirose. It tells the story of three sisters in their 20s who live together in Kamakura, and are joined by their 14-year-old half sister after their father dies. The film is based on the manga series Umimachi Diary by Akimi Yoshida. It was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.
There are three sisters: 29-year-old Sachi Kouda (Haruka Ayase), 22-year-old Yoshino Kouda (Masami Nagasawa) and 19-year-old Chika Kouda (Kaho). They live at a house in Kamakura. Their house was left by their grandmother. One day, they receive news of their father’s death. When the sisters were young, their parents divorced and their father left them. They haven’t seen their father in 15 years. Upon hearing the news on their father’s death, the sisters attend their father’s funeral. At the funeral, they meet their half-sister Suzu Asano (Suzu Hirose). She is 14-year-old and there are no one to take care of her. Oldest sister Sachi invites Suzu to live with them. The film was produced by Fuji Television, Shogakukan, Toho and Gaga Corporation. Filming began in July 2014.
