Megumi Han

Akino, the new concierge, works at a mysterious department store where a majority of the customers are animals. "The word 'no' doesn't exist in a concierge's dictionary." That's just one of the demanding rules that Akino must abide by in her new job as a saleswoman at the elegant and expansive Hokkyoku Department Store. It's a very special store the customers are all animals, and the most valued among them are of extinct species. Sea minks, laughing owls, Japanese wolves, even an enormous mammoth that's Mr. Woolly, the celebrated sculptor whose works are showcased at the store. It's still a luxury retail space, though, and anxious Akino finds her hands full with the customers' challenging requests. These range from hard-to-find merchandise to more complicated matters of the heart. Can the inexperienced Akino fulfill their whims and meet their expectations? If she wants to keep her job, she'll have to succeed while under constant observation by the fussy floor manager, Mr. Tôdô, a creepy consultant eager to downsize the staff, and the store's enigmatic president (who is not a penguin, by the way!).

This emotionally charged drama explores the complexities that define our relationships and the impact of the secrets we keep. With stellar performances and a gripping story line, "The Friendship Vow" is a roller coaster of emotions with subtle similarities of the popular film, "Closer." These films share thematic elements while touching on relationships, loyalty, and the intricate dynamics that shape human connections.

The fascinating portrait of Baroness Antoinette di St. Leger, mysterious figure of multiple artistic talents. Her life was dedicated to the realisation of a dream and the creation of a veritable heaven on earth on the Brissago Islands. The parable of a visionary woman with an extraordinarily creative force who, having come from the splendour of the Russian court, died in a pauper's institute in a Ticino valley.

On a rainy morning in Tokyo, 15-year-old Takao, an aspiring shoemaker, decides to skip class to sketch designs in a beautiful garden. This is where he meets Yukari, a beautiful yet mysterious woman. They strike an unlikely friendship. Takao, who dreams of becoming a shoemaker, skips school and is sketching shoes in a garden in the middle of Tokyo. He meets a mysterious woman, Yukino, who is older than him. Then, without arranging the times, the two start to see each other again and again, but only on rainy days. —unknown This short film follows Takao Akizuki, a 15 year old amateur shoe-maker who often skips classes to practice. With an unsupportive and broken family, he tends to visit the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden when it rains for the peace it provides as well as a place to make his shoes in solitude. One rainy day he comes across a mysterious 27-year-old woman named Yukino. Both looking for a friend, they wind up unconsciously wanting to meet on rainy mornings, and it soon becomes a tradition between the two. While Takao is skipping his classes to design shoes, Yukino is also avoiding work due to deep personal problems. When Takao learns Yukino's identity, the two grow closer and both learn that they have been teaching each other "how to walk". Shinaki perfectly demonstrates feelings of longing and sadness, with just a glimmer of hope in this melancholic masterpiece. —Anonymous Takao, who is training to become a shoemaker, skipped school and is sketching shoes in a Japanese - style garden. He meets a mysterious woman, Yukino, who is older than him. Then, without arranging the times, the two start to see each other again and again, but only on rainy days. They deepen their relationship and open up to each other. But the end of the rainy season soon approaches. —yusufpiskin