Une Part Manquante (A Missing Part): dir Guillaume Senez (2024)

Every day, Jay travels the length and breadth of Tokyo in his taxi, looking for his daughter Lily. In the nine years since he has separated from his wife, he has never been able to get custody of his daughter; Japan’s ‘clean break’ approach essentially affords legal custody to the first parent who claims the child. It’s a legal situation made all the more thorny for parents who may not have full residence status in the country. Having given up hope of ever seeing her again, he is about to move back to France when Lily hops in his cab … This is a melodrama both tender and potent, told with an endearing humanity …

In French with English subtitles. The film screens in Alliance Française’s Cine Apero programme, meaning the ticket price incudes a drink and a snack. (The AED 45 price is for non-members; AF members pay AED 35.)