ARTicle Films
A SON
Ryuichi SHIMADA
STORY
Yuki Amiya (40) works as a social worker supporting youth in orphanages to prepare for life outside as independent adults. In 2018, Yuki adopts Wataru, whom he met in an orphanage four years ago, and the two become father and son. Wataru is 20 years old, raised in orphanages all his life, never having seen his parents.
This observational documentary follows the first year of their life as a new family as they move into a small apartment for two in Japan—a country that upholds conservative values of family and blood relations. Wataru dreams of becoming famous in the entertainment industry while Amiya, in addition to his work with orphanages, is busy running his non-profit organization that focuses on creating a society where people can open up about their own identities, driven by his own experiences of coming out as a gay man. Meanwhile, Amiya’s parents and siblings wonder why he decided to adopt Wataru.
Frustrated and angry at a society that continues to entrap the marginalized, Amiya pours his energy into supporting Wataru who is finding his own footing as an adult. Questions about family, love, honesty, and care arise as they wade through this new chapter of their lives.