A Balance

Friday, March 11 - Thursday, March 17, 2022

Documentary director Yuko (Kumi Takiuchi) doesn’t doubt the reality of the world she sees through her camera’s lens, but when her father commits a grave error of judgment, she is forced to switch sides and abandon her role as an observer to become a participant in a morally challenging story. The boundaries between work and family, reality and ideals, beliefs and truths become blurred, and the world Yuko knew begins to veer in unexpected directions. As a filmmaker who has prided herself on maintaining a healthy distance while faithfully documenting what she sees and hears, what irreversible choices will Yuko ultimately make?

The film has won awards at many international film festivals, including the New Currents Award at Busan International Film Festival, and has been an official selection at film festivals in many countries, including Berlinale 2021.

“Yujiro Harumoto directs a film that works on a number of levels, all of which are analyzed thoroughly and artfully, and eventually interconnect in the most impressive way, through a truly shocking story.” – Asian Movie Pulse

“In its honesty about the real-life pitfalls of finding and telling the truth, A Balance is a rare and brave achievement.” – Japan Times

“Revealing… a bracingly unsentimental picture which asks knotty questions about the relationship between the media and the subjects at which it points its cameras.” – Screen International

Winner: Busan International Film Festival, New Currents Award
Winner: Pingyao International Film Festival, Jury Award and Audience Award
Official Selection: Berlinale 2021

Official Website: https://bitters.co.jp/tenbin

Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/yuko_tebin

© “A BALANCE” FILM PARTNERS


  • Country Japan
  • Language In Japanese with English subtitles
  • Year 2020
  • Running Time 152 minutes
  • Director Yujiro Harumoto
  • Producer Yujiro Harumoto, Tetsuya Matsushima, Sunao Katabuchi
  • Cast Kumi Takiuchi, Ken Mitsuishi, Masahiro Umeda, Yuumi Kawai
  • Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.