I had the pleasure of meeting Kore-eda following a screening of “Still Walking” at the Toronto Film Festival. Unlike other directors at the fest who had an air of arrogance that distanced themselves from their audiences, Kore-eda had a genuine warmth and humility that was approachable and refreshing. And you see those qualities in his work. He is a humanist who sees the vulnerabilities and tenderness in people as well as the tiny barbs — as small as a few choice words — we use to hurt each other. Yet he views none of these things with judgment or sentimentality. This is what we are.
