Publisher: joymisener July 2, 2026
We had a great time at the first Canadian screening of Rules of Living at City Cinema last night — such a lovely film! This was one of the most refreshing and heartfelt movies I’ve seen in a long time. The main characters, played by Kaho and Greg, were incredibly engaging; at times they had the whole theater laughing out loud. The film has so much heart, and it became even clear why that was the case during a video call with the team in Japan. During the panel, we learned that the story draws from some of Greg Dale’s own experiences — he wrote and directed the film, and was a wonderful lead. I appreciated hearing Kaho share how she was drawn to the project by the opportunity to portray a multidimensional middle-aged female character. Not only does she bring her to life so beautifully on screen, her authenticity and emotional depth are genuinely felt in the performance. Our own Island born producer, Jeffrey Rowe and Greg Dale also spoke about the effort and determination it took to create the film, as well as their intention to explore the idea that a deeper sense of humanity emerges when we let go of the "rules of living" and surrender to the experience that is life. This is why I feel the film resonated so strongly. Their sincerity is evident, and their joy in bringing it to a wider audience feels entirely fitting, as it's a film I would be proud to share as well - so here I am. As more audiences discover it, I have no doubt they’ll fall in love with the characters and story just as I did. Congratulations to everyone involved on a wonderful film. 💕