The ′other′ always speaks in a strange language. It is only when the meaning penetrates our heart that we respond to each other′s voices. It is this moment that signals the start of empathy. In this the Japanese film, Timless Melody, touches upon the sentiments of the younger generation. way, The film concerns three youngsters. Working at an old billiard hall, Kawamoto and Chikako lead boring lives, planning to form a band. One day, Shinoda, a trusted friend, comes by the billiard hall drunk and dies after confessing he has a son the same age as Kawamoto. Kawamoto finds the son, Tamura, and tells him of his father′s death, which leads to new experiences for the three of them. However, the film never equates experience with growing up in a romantic and optimistic way. Kawamoto and Tamura bury Shinoda′s body at sea, and Chikako leaves the billiard hall to catch a flight to the States. The moderate storytelling and portrayal of the situations render the characters′ psychology with efficiency. Music serves to fill the gap between these souls that flock together, yet stay at a certain distance. The three young people and Shinoda communicate through their own voices, and their echo remains in our hearts. As a young director born in 1968, Hiroshi Okuhara has succeeded in portraying the straightforward voices of young generations in his first feature film, with sponsorship from PIA Film Festival, the hub of Japanese independent filmmaking. (Kwon Yong-Min)