AllMovie

Remembrance and regret dominate the reunion of a group of college pals in this drama from Japanese filmmaker Isa Yukisada. Teruaki is a man in his mid-'20s who is startled one day when he hears a news report that a close friend from his days in university, Tomomi Manabe, has died in a boating accident. Teruaki takes it upon himself to track down a number of their mutual friends, and after meeting up at the funeral, they compare notes on where their lives have taken them since graduation. Teruaki, meanwhile, slowly but surely finds himself overcome with regret at the realization that the woman he once loved is now gone forever. Himawari was the second feature from cameraman-turned-director Yukisada, though it began playing at film festivals before his debut, Open House, had gained an official release.