is a 2018 Japanese
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
, directed by
Yōjirō Takita
Yōjirō Takita (滝田 洋二郎 ''Takita Yōjirō'', born December 4, 1955) is a Japanese filmmaker. Takita received an Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, Best Foreign Language Film for his 2008 drama '' ...
and written by
Machiko Nasu.
Stage Production was by
Keralino Sandrovich, Director of Photography is
Takeshi Hamada and the music was by Kei Ogura and Katsu Hoshi.
Plot
The story starts in 1945, with Tetsu Ezure (played by
Sayuri Yoshinaga
is a Japanese actress and activist. She has won four Japan Academy Best Actress awards, more than any other actress, and has been called "one of the foremost stars in the postwar world of film."
Career
Her first media appearance was in the radi ...
) and her sons living in Sakharin. The Russian army invades, and Tetsu flees with her sons, while her husband (played by
Abe Hiroshi Hiroshi Abe is the name of:
People
* Hiroshi Abe (actor) (born 1964), Japanese model and actor
* Hiroshi Abe (astronomer) (born 1958), Japanese amateur astronomer affiliated with the Yatsuka Observatory
* Hiroshi Abe (war criminal)
Hiroshi Abe ( ...
) stays behind to fight. The family manage to flee to Hokkaido, and eventually settle in Abashiri. The plot then skips forward to 1971, and one of the sons, Shujiro (
Masato Sakai
is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best actor at the 31st Yokohama Film Festival for ''The Wonderful World of Captain Kuhio'' and ''The Chef of South Polar'' and the award for best supporting actor at the 2008 Nikkan Sports Film Award, at ...
) is now an executive at a US Multi National Hot Dog sales company.
While visiting Sapporo, he encounters his mother, from whom he had previously become estranged. His mother, now down on her luck, seeks his help. while he and his wife are reluctant to assist. The plot looks at the past of the family.
Upon realising something is wrong with her, partially related to her post traumatic stress disorder, she leaves to go back to her original house in Abashii, however, it has been demolished. Shujiro, reaching out to his mother, accompanies her through the plains of Hokkaido, where they encounter stories of the past.
Cast
*
Sayuri Yoshinaga
is a Japanese actress and activist. She has won four Japan Academy Best Actress awards, more than any other actress, and has been called "one of the foremost stars in the postwar world of film."
Career
Her first media appearance was in the radi ...
as Tetsu Ezure
*
Masato Sakai
is a Japanese actor. He won the award for best actor at the 31st Yokohama Film Festival for ''The Wonderful World of Captain Kuhio'' and ''The Chef of South Polar'' and the award for best supporting actor at the 2008 Nikkan Sports Film Award, at ...
as Shujiro Ezure
*
Ryoko Shinohara
Ryōko or Ryouko is a Japanese female given name. The meanings of Ryoko vary depending on which Kanji is used to write the name.
Possible writings
* 涼子 – "refreshing, child"
* 亮子 – "helpful, child"
* 良子 – "good, child"
* 諒子 ...
as Mari Ezure
*
Tsurube Shofukutei as bar owner
*
Ittoku Kishibe
, born , is a Japanese actor and musician.
Career
He originally entered show business as the bassist for the Japanese rock bands, The Tigers and Pyg, but later switched to acting. The veteran of over 115 films, he won the Best Actor Japanese Ac ...
as Kazuo Yamaoka
*
Reiko Takashima
is a Japanese actress.
Career
Takashima starred in Shinji Aoyama's 1999 film, '' EM Embalming''. She has also appeared in films such as '' K-20: Legend of the Mask'', ''Railways'' and ''Space Battleship Yamato''.
Filmography
Film
* ''Like a Ro ...
as Mitsue Shimada
*
Masatoshi Nakamura
is a Japanese actor/singer from Onagawa, Miyagi. He graduated from Keio University.
Nakamura joined the Bungakuza theater troupe in 1973 and made his television debut in 1974 with "Warera Seishun. Masatoshi made his film debut with "Fureai" in ...
as Daikichi Okabe
*
Ken Yasuda as Hisashi Sugimoto
*Katsuya Maiguma as Iwaki
*Tōru Nomguchi as Manabu Kimura
*
Yukijirō Hotaru
is a Japanese actor. He is best known for the role of Gonza Kurahashi in the ''Garo'' television franchise.
Filmography
Films
*'' Sexy Battle Girls'' (1986)
*'' Time Adventure: Zeccho 5-byo Mae'' (1986)
*''Itoshino Half Moon'' (1987)
*''Ogenki ...
*
Hiroshi Abe as Tokujiro Ezure
*
Koichi Sato as Shinji Sugawara
Box office
The film took $2 million from 351 screens on its first weekend showing in Japan.
References
External links
*
*
{{Yōjirō Takita
2018 films
2018 drama films
Films directed by Yōjirō Takita
Japanese drama films
2010s Japanese-language films
Films set in Hokkaido
Films set in Sakhalin
2010s Japanese films