Polaroids and Postcards

Japan, 2003.

Kumiko, is an introverted, awkward 16-year-old girl who's obsessed with photography. She's the kind of person who hides behind her camera, capturing the world from a distance rather than engaging with it. Kumiko's life revolves around taking photos of mundane moments and storing them in her room, but she's never shown anyone her work-she feels like her photos are the only thing about her that's "perfect." She dreams of being a professional photographer someday, but she's scared of the idea of people seeing her true self. Enter Kaito, a boy who is new to town and seems almost too cool for school. He's got this effortlessly charming vibe and is known for his kindness and way of making people feel like they belong. After encountering Kumiko several times he asks her to join a quirky summer project he's come up with: making a photo album of their summer adventures that will be documented entirely on Polaroid film and postcards. He challenges her to step out of her comfort zone and show the world what she sees through her lens. In exchange, he offers to do the same, even if it means showing sides of himself he'd rather keep hidden. But Kaito has his own secrets, and the seemingly never-ending summer comes to and end sooner than either of them expected, leaving Kumiko with a sense of realization, longing, and regret that she had taken her time with Kaito for granted.