Send the Rain

OVERVIEW

Set against the devastating wildfires of British Columbia in 2021, Send the Rain follows Erika (Erika Prevost), a young Okinawan Canadian animator who returns from Vancouver to her family’s strawberry farm to convince her grandmother, Oba (Sachiko Tsujimoto), to evacuate. But Oba refuses to abandon the property, even as the approaching fires become increasingly dangerous. As the two struggle to understand each other, the film explores their family history through flashbacks to Oba’s childhood in Okinawa and her eventual immigration to Canada, revealing the sacrifices behind her attachment to the land.

FESTIVAL REVIEW

Send the Rain has moments that feel genuinely authentic, especially in how it portrays the complicated relationship between Erika and her grandmother. It is touching to see them gradually reconnect, especially as the film draws parallels between Erika’s everyday frustrations and the sacrifices Oba made to build a life in Canada. Some scenes feel clearly inspired by real experiences, such as Erika’s mother’s embarrassment over having to pick strawberries, and overall, Oba and Erika’s growing bond is quite convincing. However, like quite a few Canadian films about immigrant families we’ve been seeing lately, Send the Rain seems so determined to be critical of its protagonist that she becomes increasingly difficult to sympathize with.

Erika is often selfish and unpleasant toward practically everyone around her, including a boyfriend who seems almost impossibly patient and understanding. Oba, meanwhile, is so stubborn about staying on the farm that she puts both herself and her granddaughter in serious danger. Their behavior is understandable to a certain extent, but there comes a point when their constant stubbornness starts to become extremely frustrating, especially as the film keeps circling back to the same conflicts. There are enough sincere moments to appreciate the personal experiences behind the story, and the historical material gives some of these relationships a welcome depth. Still, Send the Rain never quite escapes the familiar traps of this particular kind of Canadian family drama, where the characters’ flaws are emphasized so heavily that it becomes difficult to remain emotionally invested in their journey.