British label Third Window Films, known for championing underseen gems of Japanese cinema, is giving Toshiaki Toyoda’s Hanging Garden a well-deserved standalone Blu-ray release. Previously available only as part of their limited edition box set Toshiaki Toyoda: 2005–2021, this marks the film’s first individual HD edition—offering a new opportunity to (re)discover one of Toyoda’s most delicate and layered works.

Hanging Garden (2005), directed by Toshiaki Toyoda, is a strikingly introspective family drama that dissects the illusion of openness within a seemingly liberal household. The story centers around Eriko, a mother who champions complete honesty among her family members, creating an environment where nothing is off-limits—at least in theory. As the narrative unfolds, the cracks in this ideal begin to surface, revealing repressed desires, secrets, and emotional isolation.

Toyoda, known for his energetic, rebellious early work (Blue Spring, 9 Souls), takes a more subdued yet equally intense approach here, employing a muted color palette and a delicate rhythm to explore the psychological undercurrents of domestic life. The film critiques the superficiality of modern communication and the impossibility of total transparency, all while maintaining a deeply empathetic tone.

Though less known internationally than Toyoda’s earlier, more kinetic works, Hanging Garden has been warmly received by critics for its emotional depth and stylistic restraint. Reviewers have praised its bold critique of performative honesty and its nuanced performances—particularly Kyōko Koizumi’s role as the mother, which anchors the film with a potent mix of fragility and control. Over time, the film has grown in stature as a key transitional work in Toyoda’s filmography, showcasing his evolving sensibility and thematic ambition.

Hanging Garden is a haunting portrait of a family unraveling under the weight of its own unspoken truths—a quiet but potent film that lingers long after its final frame.