Grumpy Sentaro runs a small bakery that serves dorayaki, pastries filled with sweet red bean paste (“an”). When an old lady, Tokue, offers to help in the kitchen, he reluctantly accepts. She will soon prove to have magic in her hands. Thanks to her secret recipe, the little business flourishes.

From director Naomi Kawase comes this small but heartfelt feel-good movie, an affecting tale of friendship that asks us to remember the simple pleasures in life. Gentle and absorbing throughout, the film features a beautifully controlled performance by the late Japanese actor Kirin Kiki.