[First Impressions from a Press Screening] Renoir Cineplay Journalist Star Rating

〈Renoir〉 aligns with a line of films that reflect the irrational world of adults by passing through a child’s perspective. But 〈Renoir〉 takes a slightly different approach. Rather than highlighting the contrast between adults’ irrational world and the purity of a child, it spotlights the loneliness and lack of care a child faces amid imperfect adults—through a child’s portrait shaped by an original, primal curiosity about the unknown. In this way, 〈Renoir〉 depicts another world of children—one that exists outside the expectations society and adults place on them—through deep, dark images. The film’s captivating visuals, which capture the spirit of 1980s Japan in the shadows, can hardly be outdone by the beauty of the images associated with Edward Yang and Kiyoshi Kurosawa.