The Missing Post: The Suspended Beauty of Letters Never Delivered.

The Missing Post Office is a sanctuary for letters that never reached their destination—letters written to the lost, the departed, or perhaps to no one at all. This poetic, silent space was transformed by artist Saya Kubota, who gave a home to words suspended between speaking and listening. Encased in small transparent capsules, the letters float like fragments of memory throughout the building. Each holds an emotion, a confession, a greeting that never found its recipient.

Caring for them is 91-year-old former postman Katsuhisa Nakata, who watches over the space like a guardian of time. To him, each letter is a small universe of feelings, a testament to humanity’s need to leave traces and communicate, even when words go unanswered.

The short film The Missing Post Office, part of the In the Seto Inland Sea project, is a cinematic meditation on time, absence, and the emotional weight of unread words. Its delicate, contemplative imagery celebrates the beauty of memory and the intensity of silence—a reminder of the significance of what we write, and of how much of ourselves remains in letters we never send.

In an era dominated by speed and instant messaging, The Missing Post reminds us that the most authentic communication doesn’t always arrive—but it can still touch, transform, and endure.

This visual gem is directed and shot by French filmmaker and cinematographer Clément Lefer, one of the most refined voices in contemporary independent cinema. His aesthetic balances form and introspection, creating visually pure images that convey deep respect for silence, time, and the human experience. Dividing his time between Paris and Tokyo, Lefer combines the discipline and restraint of Japanese culture with European poetic sensibility.

Trained in directing and photography, Lefer has spent the past decade building a career that includes collaborations with international brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dom Pérignon, Hamilton, and Nissan—always maintaining his auteur vision. Even in commercial work, his gaze remains authentic and intimate, capturing the hidden beauty behind appearances.

In his latest film, Lefer takes us to Awashima to explore the poetry of a place where undelivered letters become a universal symbol of connection and memory. At the heart of the story is 91-year-old Katsuhisa Nakata, the postman who has preserved these traces of humanity for decades as a silent guardian of other people’s emotions.

With meticulous direction, Lefer films the light filtering through windows, the paper drifting in the air, and the island’s suspended calm. Each shot is a reflection on the fragility of time and the emotional power of words left unheard. His camera observes without intrusion, accompanying the stories without judgement and allowing life itself to unfold.

It is in this balance between outer beauty—the visual perfection of his images—and inner beauty—the empathy and tenderness with which he approaches his subjects—that the true strength of Clément Lefer’s cinema lies.

The Missing Post Office becomes more than a film: it is an act of listening, an exercise in humanity, an invitation to rediscover the profound value of words and presence.

Grand Prix Winner – Festival Atmosphère

Winner – Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festival

Winner – Robinson Film Awards

Winner – Paris Independent Film Festival

Winner – Rome Prisma Film Awards

Finalist – Japan Indies Film Festival (JIFF)

Semi-Finalist – Luleå International Film Festival

Semi-Finalist – Venezia Shorts Italy

Official Shortlist – Berlin Commercial

Official Selection – Cannes Indie Shorts Awards

Official Selection – Shibuya Sasebo TANPEN Film Festival

Official Selection – Montpellier Indie Film Festival (MONTIFF)

Director & Cinematographer  CLÉMENT LEFER

Post House  ELLIPSE TV

Editor  FLORIAN JULIA

Assistant Editor  LÉO AYRAL

Original Score  THOMAS GALLICANI

Sound Design  JEAN-CHARLES KRAIMPS

Colourist  LÉO TERREROS

Coordinator  石井 紫  YUKARI ISHII

Interpreter & Translator  JOSÉ MASEDA

Producer  CLÉMENT LEFER

Real letters read by

宇佐美 佑貴  YUKI USAMI

市川 祥子  SHOKO ICHIKAWA

山田 優太  YUTA YAMADA

Silhouettes

安藤 優之介  YUNOSUKE ANDO

新田 茜  AKANE NITTA

石井 紫  YUKARI ISHII

Special thanks

TBWA\ELSE

MICHELLE YE HEE LEE

三豊市観光交流局  MITOYO TOURISM & EXCHANGE AUTHORITY

ルポール粟島  LE PORT AWASHIMA

樋口 憲一  KENICHI HIGUCHI

JOSÉ MASEDA