*2024 Academy Award Nominee – Best International Film

Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books. And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveals more of his past. A deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us.

*Stay Sunday 2/25 for a talkback with Lawrence Toppman following the 1:00pm screening. Lawrence Toppman spent four decades covering all aspects of culture for The Charlotte Observer, including 30 years as its movie critic, before retiring in 2020. He has sung with the chorus of Opera Carolina for a record 40 seasons and still freelances for The Charlotte Ledger and the WDAV-FM website.