Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2014

Japanese novelist Maha Harada’s love story Ippun-kan Dake (A Minute More) became a runaway bestseller when it was published in 2009. So it was inevitable that the story of a busy fashion magazine editor learning to love by raising a golden retriever—first on her own and later with the help of her boyfriend—would be turned into a film. What was less expected was that the weepy tale would become an international coproduction between Japan and Taiwan while politicians are embroiled in territorial disputes. Female director Weiling Chen took the helm, with Taiwanese actors Chun-Ning Chang and Peter Ho taking the leads. Actress Reina Ikehata and J-pop siren Rina Sumioka represent Japan. At a press conference before the start of filming last year, the director admitted the difficulty of transplanting the story to Taiwan, where pets are less common. “It was hard to connect with the novel at first, because I had never kept any pets,” Chen said. “But after I finished it, I realized it was more about being separated from something you love, which we all experience.” Producer Kang Lee explained it is the very first Taiwanese movie about a pet. “It was a challenge to incorporate all of the Japanese elements and a Japanese actress,” he said. “But I hope this can be the start of a new trend in the film world.” Ippun-kan Dake will open at Shinjuku Wald 9 and other theaters on May 31.