Synopsis

Was it shōyū ramen? Kare ramen? Or maybe tsukemen? It must be shōyū ramen that the young woman at the counter on the left ordered. Or is it? What exactly should she do now? And where is she anyway? The aroma here is so tempting, it reminds her of her mother's kitchen. Back then, they had soup for breakfast every day, usually with vegetables and... Suddenly, someone calls her name. Noriko (78) takes the bowl of freshly prepared shōyū ramen from the counter and walks over to the woman sitting at one of the two tables with her child. Five more steps, don't drop anything.

In an increasingly aging society that is wholly devoted to rejuvenation and immortality, people suffering from dementia have no place and remain largely invisible. A small Japanese ramen restaurant opens a window into the lives and feelings of people whose everyday existence is marked by loss, dependence, and shame.

At Chibaru Shokudō, we meet people whose fate is representative of millions of others who hide behind the stigma of “dementia.” Personalities, biographies, dramas, and comedies unfold amid the traditionally reserved Japanese society.

A cinema documentary about dignity and self-determination, about visibility and autonomy in old age.

More Infos

• Credits

  DIRECTOR

  Christina Sayaka Kerber

  PRODUCER

  Stephanie Constantin

  Vadim Jendreyko

• Technical Details

  Format	DCP
  Duration	90 min
  Year	2027
  Original Language	Japanese
  Subtitles
  Country	Schweiz
  ISAN