Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!

In this magic-realist charmer that won a Sundance Directing Award, a ballroom dancer struck down by tragedy gets her feisty, flirty groove back. Aged Haru and her husband Luis are serious about ballroom, performing the rumba, tango and paso doble in competitions all over Tokyo. But after enduring a catastrophic loss, Haru loses her spark. Nine months on, her sister and her cousin decide something must change, so they cajole her back into the studio. Enter: sexy new dance instructor Fedir (complete with open marriage!) , who might just pull Haru out of her rut. Josef Kubota Wladyka's third feature is a refreshing spin on the grief drama, while Oscar nominee Rinko Kikuchi — as balletic on the dance floor as she is in her portrayal of emotional overload — delivers an affecting, multifaceted performance.

Directed by: Josef Kubota Wladyka
Starring: Rinko Kikuchi, Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Music
Running time: 122 min.