World Premiere

It is summer vacation but high schoolers Kokoro and Miku have been instructed by their PE teacher, Yamamoto, to clean the swimming pool. The pool has been drained of water and it is covered with sand from the baseball team’s field next door. Thus, under the blazing sun, they are meant to sweep the sand but distractions abound as Chizuru and Yui join them and stray in their path. Together, they initially discuss school life, love and makeup but it isn’t long before their worries begin to overflow and their thoughts intersect…

Swimming in a Sand Pool presents a coming-of-age drama laced with deadpan comedy that begins at the bottom of the pool. Its origins lie in an original work by the Tokushima City High School Drama Club making this the second film project based on a high school play following On the Edge of Their Seats (Dir: JOJO Hideo, OAFF2020). [Jason MAHER]