In a distinctly contemporary Tokyo that looks backwards to the city’s disappearing past, Yoko is a writer investigating the life of a modernist composer of the 1930s. She is pregnant by a man she does not want to marry, and has found a kindred spirit in a used-bookstore owner who aids her research.

Hou Hsiao-hsien’s tribute to the great Yasujirō Ozu combines elements of both directors’ vision in order to create a touching filmmaking hybrid. With a focus on everyday poetry and an overarching search for human connection, Café Lumière is a graceful, intimate portrayal of life in Tokyo.