: The film masterfully highlights the tension between Sarya’s Kurdish heritage and her Japanese environment. She is caught between two worlds—never fully accepted in Japan, yet distant from a culture she barely remembers.
My Small Land is a "subtle and complex" film that dextrously balances personal perspective with pressing global issues. It is a must-watch for anyone interested in modern Japanese cinema or stories of displacement and identity.
Emma Kawawada’s directorial debut, My Small Land (2022), is a poignant and essential exploration of what it means to belong when the world refuses to grant you a home.
The film centers on Sarya (played by Lina Arashi), a 17-year-old Kurdish refugee living in Japan. While she initially feels integrated into Japanese society—dreaming of university and experiencing a blossoming romance—her life is thrown into chaos when her family’s refugee status is revoked and her father is jailed for illegal employment.
: Unlike many immigration dramas that "aim for the jugular," My Small Land is a "powerful slice-of-life" that quietly creeps under your skin. It shows Sarya’s world falling apart piece by piece, making her universal coming-of-age experience all the more heartbreaking.
: Beyond its intimate story, the film serves as a "quiet political statement" regarding the often-overlooked lives of refugees in Japan. It received a special mention from the Amnesty International Award jury at the Berlin International Film Festival for its sensitive handling of these social issues.
: Emma Kawawada, a former assistant director to Hirokazu Kore-eda, brings a similar "naturalistic cinematography" and "empathetic direction" to this story. Lina Arashi delivers a standout performance, capturing Sarya's resilience as she balances the weight of bureaucracy with her own desires for independence.