Full disclosure: I'm friends with the director and I wrote a song that was used in the film.

Japan's been a point of fascination for me - even an obsession - over the years. From afar, it felt like a place wholly unique and deeply rooted in tradition. Visiting it, I can attest that those feelings were true, and "Impossible to Imagine" exemplifies those traits so well with its protagonist, Ami. She holds so tightly to her identity and the ways of the past.

Conversely, the country has a number of demographic issues (namely an aging population), and may need to shift towards outside influence. The secondary protagonist, Hayato, an Australian-Japanese businessman is a great avatar for this. He is more up front, adaptable, and sometimes a source of discomfort for Ami.

The parallels continue with its director, Felicity Tillack, who is an immigrant to Japan herself. Her cinematic choices are distinctly Japanese (slow and thoughtfully paced) but her sense of humour is sharp and playful, I imagine more akin to her Australian heritage. Sometimes, amalgam projects can lose their identity, but this film felt authentic to both sides. I'm especially fond of the choice of locations and their representation; it was like I was walking the streets of Kyoto again.

Admittedly, there are some rough spots, but I couldn't help but nod along with the film. It felt so much like the country I love and asked many of the same questions I did. "Impossible to Imagine" may be presented as a love story, but I'll remember it as a thoughtful - and important - look at the past and future of Japan and the tension therein.