In 37 Seconds, 23-year-old comic book artist Yuma, physically disabled due to profound cerebral palsy and emotionally stunted by her well-meaning but overly protective mother, forges her own unusual path to sexual awakening and independence while at the same time discovering love and forgiveness.
The take
The film follows Yuma, a young woman with cerebral palsy who dreams of becoming a manga artist but struggles to find independence while living with an overprotective mother. That, however, doesn’t stop her from applying to work at an erotica manga publishing house. In this moving narrative, the themes of identity and self-discovery are tenderly portrayed through the lens of disability as Yuma embarks on a journey toward self-acceptance and sexual empowerment. Despite a rocky and somewhat dragging last act, the respectful depictions of sex work and disability make this film's warm heart feel genuine.
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Our Little Sister (2016)
Japanese mastermind Koreeda's plotless exploration of grief
8.5
maboroshi (2023)
Time, but not people, stands still in this surreal yet strange Japanese fantasy film
7.6
Small, Slow But Steady (2022)
A quiet, inspiring story about connection and perseverance during the COVID-19 pandemic
8.3
Call Me Chihiro (2023)
Slowburn, slice-of-life moments of found family in a small Japanese seaside town
7.0
An Autumn’s Tale (1987)
Two Hong Kong immigrants find a new life, and a new love, in this New York-shot romantic drama
7.6
RedLife (2023)
Two lives collide in tragedy in this grim, though aimless, melodrama
6.5
True Spirit (2023)
An inspirational, though generic, cruise depicting the real-life adventure
6.0
The Legend & Butterfly (2023)
A stunning Japanese historical epic let down by its fictional romance
6.5
Lust, Caution (2007)
A wartime spy falls for a collaborator in this erotic espionage drama
7.3
You & Me & Me (2023)
A nostalgic Thai coming-of-age drama whose twin love triangle is actually wonderfully, tenderly written