Hiroko Ishimaru

A young geologist is traveling by train to visit his sister in the countryside after having received a mysterious letter from her.

Crystal unfolds as a series of evocative, non-linear vignettes where fleeting images and sensations merge into a meditation on memory and time. A solitary figure moves through shifting urban and natural landscapes—fragments of childhood recollections, dreamlike encounters, and dissolving reflections in water or glass. Objects transform unexpectedly - a lantern flickers into a memory, a stranger’s face blurs into light - blurring boundaries between past and present.

Why do people wave their hands when they say goodbye? We embarked on a dream journey from Borges' The Circular Ruins. Filmed in 16mm by the Japanese Isao Yamada, filmmaker, graphic artist and manga author.