(Kûki ningyô, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan 2009, 125 min., DCP, Japanese w/subtitles)
A present-day fable for the increasing disconnect we find in urban life, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Air Doll transports the Galatea myth to present-day Tokyo. A life-size air doll named Nozomi (Doona Bae) resides in a shabby apartment, the only companion of her middle-aged owner. When Nozomi suddenly comes to life she takes it upon herself to explore the outside world while her owner is at work. With the curiosity of a child, she seeks out experiences (including getting a job at a video store and seeking out her manufacturer) that will explain to her the meaning and purpose of being alive.