Randen

Named after the beloved 110-year-old tram in western Kyoto City, Randen is a pleasantly low-key romantic drama that evokes the ancient city’s folklore, movie production history and deep love of trains through three intersecting stories: a writer from Kamakura researches supernatural train stories and recalls memories of his wife in her hometown; a shy local girl helps a Tokyo actor rehearse his lines in Kyoto dialect; and a high school girl from Aomori falls in love with a geeky train otaku. A local labor of love directed by Takuji Suzuki, the film was made with the help of Kyoto film students and the support of people living along the Randen line. (Japan Cuts)