Fresh from taking home the Busan International Film Festival’s inaugural best film award for Gloaming in Luomo in October, Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu brings its sister piece, Mothertongue , across the water to premiere in the Tokyo International Film Festival’s main competition. The two productions were shot one after another at locations a few hours apart, share lead actors, themes, and even the odd costume.

Mothertongue , which was completed first, follows struggling actress Haruki (Bai Baihe) as she returns to her hometown after a decade in Beijing, her inability to speak her native dialect fluently adding to her feelings of alienation and loneliness. She visits her old drama teacher (Liu Dan), who suffers bouts of senility, but whose son (Wang Chuanjun) helps her feel

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