TIFF 2024: A Missing Part
At TIFF 2024, A Missing Part by Belgian filmmaker Guillaume Senez makes its world premiere, offering a heart-wrenching yet quietly powerful exploration of a father’s relentless quest to reunite with his daughter. This drama, set against the backdrop of Tokyo’s bustling streets, promises to resonate with anyone who has ever felt the ache of separation.
A Missing Part centers around Jay, played by Romain Duris, a French expat living in Tokyo. Jay’s life is a far cry from glamorous; he works as a driver for a private car service, navigating the city’s labyrinthine roads while silently grappling with the loss of his daughter, Lily. It’s been nine long years since Jay last saw her, thanks to Japan’s stringent family laws that can leave foreign parents without any contact with their children after a divorce. Jay’s pain is palpable, and his story unfolds in a series of encounters and conversations that slowly reveal the depth of his despair and his fading hope.
Guillaume Senez, reuniting with Duris after their successful collaboration on 2018’s Our Struggles, has crafted a film that is refreshingly grounded. There’s no melodrama here; instead, Senez focuses on the small, everyday moments that make up Jay’s life, from his interactions with fellow expat Jessica (Judith Chemla) to his quiet musings while driving. This attention to detail gives the film an authenticity that makes Jay’s journey all the more poignant.
What’s particularly striking about A Missing Part is how it handles its setting. While the story is deeply rooted in Tokyo, the film avoids exoticizing the city or Jay’s experience as an outsider. Instead, Tokyo is portrayed as just another part of Jay’s world, a place where he is both at home and utterly lost. This nuanced approach helps to keep the focus on Jay’s internal struggle rather than on the differences between cultures.
As the narrative builds towards its emotional climax, Senez steers clear of easy sentimentality. Even in its most intense moments, the film remains understated, allowing the audience to feel the weight of Jay’s loss without being overwhelmed by it. It’s this restraint that gives A Missing Part its power and makes it a standout at this year’s festival.
If you’re in the mood for a film that will make you think and feel in equal measure, A Missing Part is one to watch. It’s a reminder of the lengths we go to for the ones we love and the quiet strength it takes to keep hoping when all seems lost.
Showtimes:
- Monday, September 9: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 2:30 pm
- Tuesday, September 10: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto (Press & Industry) at 11:45 am
- Wednesday, September 11: Scotiabank Theatre Toronto at 12:35 pm
Grab your tickets, settle in, and prepare to be moved by this deeply human story.
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