Sunao Katabuchi’s In This Corner of the World is a lovely, heartfelt family drama set against the backdrop of World War II in a naval community near Hiroshima. Tracing the life of a young woman as she is married off and sent to live with her new in-laws – strangers in a strange new village – the film manages to eschew most of the typical beats you’d get in a family drama of this variety. There are no overly melodramatic elements, no abusive husband, no domineering in-laws – just a tender story of a young woman coming into her own during difficult times, learning resilience and the powerful bonds of this new family she’s married into. There are lovely flourishes to the animation that serve as a nice counterpoint to the brutal reminders of the grim realities of war, and the final coda is a lovely note of hope, a reminder that acts of humanity and compassion are what get us through these truly horrific moments in history.