The First Supper (2019 Film)

The First Supper (Japanese: Saisho no Bansan) is a 2019 Japanese drama film written and directed by Shiro Tokiwa. The film explores themes of family dynamics, grief, and memory, centered around the funeral of a patriarch.

Promotional poster for the film The First Supper — Promotional visual for the 2019 film The First Supper.

Plot

The story follows Rintaro Higashi, a cameraman who returns to his hometown to attend his father's funeral. During the preparations, his mother, Akiko, unexpectedly cancels the pre-ordered funeral bento meals, announcing her intention to cook the funeral food herself. Despite the initial resistance and embarrassment felt by Rintaro and his sister, Miyako, Akiko persists, revealing that her husband's final wishes included this specific request. As the meal is served—starting with simple fried eggs—the family members are transported back to their shared past, as the flavors evoke memories of their father's cooking and their life together.

Production and Release

The film was directed and written by Shiro Tokiwa, with cinematography by Hideo Yamamoto. It was produced by Mai Sugiyama, Takeshi Moriya, and Ko Suzuki, and distributed by Kadokawa Pictures. The film has a runtime of 127 minutes and was released in Japan on November 1, 2019.

Cast

Shota Sometani as Rintaro Higashi
Erika Toda as Miyako
Yosuke Kubozuka as Shun
Yuki Saito as Akiko
Masatoshi Nagase as Hitoshi
Nana Mori
Raiku
Junya Maki
Narushi Ikeda
Daikichi Sugawara
Shinsuke Kato
Hyunri
Hiroshi Yamamoto
Hayato Onozuka
Eita Okuno
Taro Suwa
Ryo Togawa as young Rintaro Higashi
Tetsu Hirahara