Writer-director Chie Hayakawa’s feature debut, Japan’s submission for this year’s Oscars, is set in a chilling near-future in which the country has gone to extreme lengths to manage its ageing population and consequent economic distress. Award-winning actress Chieko Baisho plays Michi, an elderly woman whose means of survival are vanishing, leading her to face the options offered by the state’s Plan 75. The film’s challenging concept is mitigated by its tender portrait of elderly relationships.