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2020
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Representation score: 4.2 out of 10
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Our Departures
Representation Score
3.4/10
Limited
2018
Director
Yasuhiro Yoshida
Runtime
120 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetNew Showbiz Analysis
Our Departures is a character-driven domestic drama that finds its strength in the personal growth of its female lead. By placing a widow in a traditionally male-dominated professional setting, the film challenges passive stereotypes in favor of career-driven ability to act. However, the film operates within a very narrow social scope. It lacks diversity in terms of LGBTQ+ and multi-ethnic identities, focusing almost exclusively on a homogeneous Japanese cultural context. Ultimately, while the film offers a nuanced look at rebuilding family identity, it remains tied to traditional social structures without offering a broader critique.
Category Breakdown
Does Our Departures have LGBTQ+ representation?
The story focuses on a widow and her relationship with her late husband’s family. It does not include explicit LGBTQ+ characters or critiques of the assumption that everyone is straight.
How does Our Departures portray gender?
Akira avoids passive stereotypes by actively pursuing a career in the male-dominated railway industry. Her journey highlights professional independence and self-discovery over simple grief.
How racially and ethnically diverse is Our Departures?
The film centers on a localized Japanese context. It does not feature a multi-ethnic cast or integrate diverse racial identities into the narrative.
How does Our Departures represent religion and culture?
The film explores the tension between individual ability to act and traditional obligations. It examines the concept of 'found family' through a blended, post-loss household structure.
Does Our Departures include disability representation?
The narrative does not depict identifiable instances of physical, neurodivergent, or sensory disabilities.
Present on Screen
- Provides meaningful opportunities for the female lead through her professional pursuits.
- Challenges passive stereotypes by focusing on self-discovery.
- Explores the complexities of blended and 'found' family structures.
Limited or Absent
- Lacks diversity in terms of LGBTQ+ and multi-ethnic identities.
- Maintains a homogeneous cultural perspective with little racial diversity.
- Does not offer a broader critique of social structures.
Official Synopsis
Akira is widowed and left with a pre-teen stepson. Travelling with him to her late husband's hometown, she meets her odd father-in-law and yet decides to make a go of living and working there. She attends training and joins the railway company where her father-in-law works and her late man dreamt of ending up as a child.
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