Drawing Closer

2024 1h 59m JA

🙌

8.4

BANGER

★8.4TMDB · 232

RomanceDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

With only a year left to live, 17-year-old Akito finds new meaning in life by bringing joy to a terminally ill girl who has just six months remaining.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Ren Nagase
Akito Hayasaka
Natsuki Deguchi
Haruna Sakurai
Mayuu Yokota
Ayaka Miura
Fumino Kimura
Mikiko
Nene Otsuka
Jimi Hayasaka
Toru Nakamura
Kazuki Hayasaka
Yasuko Matsuyuki
Hazuki Sakurai
Kyoka Shibata
Eri Fujimoto

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Takahiro Miki
Writers: Tomoko Yoshida, Takahiro Miki
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Takahiro Miki, shot by Hiro'o Yanagida. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Seiji Kameda. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Naoya Bando shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Ren Nagase and Natsuki Deguchi and Mayuu Yokota carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt31078761 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Takahiro Miki directs. Hiro'o Yanagida behind the camera. Seiji Kameda scores. Naoya Bando cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 2 years ago.
2Directed by Takahiro Miki, shot by Hiro'o Yanagida. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Seiji Kameda. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Naoya Bando shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Ren Nagase and Natsuki Deguchi and Mayuu Yokota carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt31078761 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Hiro'o Yanagida
Original score: Seiji Kameda
Editing: Naoya Bando
Production design: Hidefumi Hanatani
Makeup / hair: Chieko Naijô
Sound: Yoshifumi Kureishi
Runtime: 119 min · 1h 59m
Status: Released
Original language: JA
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Drawing Closer (2024)

Also by

Takahiro Miki

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Alunauwie2025-12-01
★ 8/10
Drawing Closer reflects on how limited time reshapes the way two people learn to live, love, and confront their deepest fears, using soft visuals and intimate dialogue to build a bond grounded in shared fragility. Instead of dramatic clashes, the film lingers on internal struggles that unfold quietly yet painfully, softened by heartfelt performances and tender cinematography. Though the ending feels slightly rushed, the story remains a gentle reminder to pause, look inward, and consider how we choose to live before death arrives—whether soon or far ahead. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com)

Production companies