Watch this when
Grave of the Fireflies
He was 14 and trying to be everything for his little sister. Some stories don't fix your grief. They just let you finally feel it. 🌾✨ #GraveOfTheFireflies
Who it's for
Grave of the Fireflies follows 14-year-old Seita and his little sister Setsuko after their mother dies following the bombing of Kobe, and it offers one of cinema's most complete experiences of grief.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Isao Takahata's Studio Ghibli film, adapted from Akiyuki Nosaka's semi-autobiographical 1967 story, follows siblings Seita and Setsuko after American bombing destroys much of Kobe in 1945 and their mother dies. After tension grows with the aunt who takes them in, Seita leaves with his little sister to live in an abandoned bomb shelter.
Where to find it
Rent or buy on major digital stores. Streaming availability rotates; check JustWatch.
Before you start
Heads up: A child's slow death from starvation.
Age: Not rated in US (UK 12A)
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, “On Joy and Sorrow”
