Setsunai

“Setsunai” is a Japanese word with no direct translation.
It describes a bittersweet emotion — a mixture of longing, pain, and tenderness; a feeling that hurts and warms the heart at the same time.

A young woman meets the person she has dreamed of all her life. Between them grows a deep, almost mystical connection that transforms her from within. But soon their paths part — she is still too young to understand the depth of what she’s found.

Afraid to lose him forever, she keeps her phone number the same, hoping he will one day return. Years pass in quiet waiting — until one day, the phone finally rings.

Directed by Evgeny Joy (Netherlands)