Wasted Eggs

　　Are you using your egg and germ cells in a manner useful for the society and the humankind? Junko is nearly 30, nearing the traditional ‘best before’ of the Japanese society, and feels increasing pressure: without a partner candidate or even a particular wish to have children anytime soon, she decides to become an egg donor. And not just for the free Hawaii trip that would be the prize if her candidacy is successful. At a counseling session, she meets her niece Aki who has similar plans. Together, they soon see how competitive social and evolutionary rules can mess up the best human relationships, particularly when such rules are mixed with the fossilized attitudes of a society which is frantically hanging on to traditions.
　　Approaching the rather seldom addressed problem in the Japanese society playfully, through clever metaphors and with a fresh directing style, director Ryo Kawasaki has succeeded in talking about big topics without losing a warm connection to the characters – the fragile beings who struggle to cope between the triple cogs of Evolution, Existence and Competition on a daily basis.
　　Hannes Aava