The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat

Set in 1988, this drama follows eight-year-old Yamabuki as he navigates a traditional household filled with hidden struggles. His father manages a failing construction business while pursuing an extramarital affair, and his mother suffers from depression following the loss of a child. Meanwhile, his grandfather pursues an unrealized dream of building an amusement park, and his grandmother sells counterfeit goods in a small shop. As Yamabuki's older sister seeks a way to escape the family's dishonesty, the boy finds comfort in an imaginary dog. The narrative extends twenty-five years into the future, where the family reunites following the grandmother's funeral to seek forgiveness and move past their history.

The film was directed by Yukihiro Morigaki, marking his second feature following Rude to Love. It was produced by Pony Canyon and written by Tomoe Kanno, with Kenji Akazawa and Muneo Miyagawa serving as producers. This Japanese production has a runtime of 125 minutes.