is a 2015

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 ...

directed by

Mitsutoshi Tanaka is a Japanese film and commercial director. He is President and CEO of Osaka-based film production firm Creators' Union and widely known for award-winning feature films such as ''Godai - The Wunderkind'' (2020), ''125 Years Memory'' (2015), ''Bl ...

starring Seiyo Uchino, Kenan Ece and

Shioli Kutsuna is an Australian-born Japanese actress, known for her role as Ran Mori in ''Shinichi Kudo's Written Challenge!'', Minami Maho in ''Beck,'' Haru/Harumi in ''125 Years Memory,'' and Yukio in ''Deadpool 2''. She plays Mitsuki in the Apple TV+ s ...

. Two historical incidents that deepened the friendship between Japan and Turkey are connected in this story of friendship and compassion: The sinking of the Turkish frigate

Ertuğrul Ertuğrul or Ertuğrul Gazi ( ota, ارطغرل, Erṭoġrıl; tk, ; died ) was a 13th century bey, who was the father of Osman I. Little is known about Ertuğrul's life. According to Ottoman tradition, he was the son of Suleyman Shah, the ...

off the Japanese coast in 1890 and the evacuation of Japanese nationals from Iran in 1985.Nishihiro, Shinji
"西廣理事よりNPOの活動状況について"
''NPO Ertuğrul Saves the World'', Wakayama. Retrieved 22 November 2018. It received the

Japan Academy Film Prize The , often called the Japan Academy Prize, the Japan Academy Awards, and the Japanese Academy Awards, is a series of awards given annually since 1978 by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association (日本アカデミー賞協会, ''Nippon Akademii- ...

in ten categories, including Best Art Direction, Best Sound Recording, Excellent Film and Excellent Director."第39回日本アカデミー賞優秀作品"
''Japan Academy Film Prize Association''. Retrieved 3 July 2020."プロフィール"
" Film director Mitsutoshi Tanaka''. Retrieved 3 July 2020. A Japanese-Turkish co-production, the film was produced by Japan's Creators' Union and Toei together with Turkey's Böcek Yapım. It was released in Japan by Toei on 5 December 2015 and in Turkey by CGV Mars on 25 December 2015.

Plot

Ertuğrul episode

In the night of 16 September 1890, while returning from a goodwill visit to Japan, the Turkish frigate

is caught up in a typhoon and sinks in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of

Kushimoto, Wakayama 270px, Shionomisaki Southernmost Point Park is a coastal town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 15,192 in 8354 households and a population density of 110 persons per km2. The ...

. Hearing the alarm bell the villagers of Kashino, a poor fishing village on Kushimoto's island of Kii Oshima, rush to the shore. They are confronted with the grisly spectacle of vast numbers of dead and dying. With more than 500 crew members dead, it is one of the largest sea accidents in history at that time. Risking their own lives, the villagers are able to rescue 69 Turkish sailors. Tamura ('' Seiyo Uchino''), a doctor living in Kashino village, and his assistant Haru (''

'') treat the injured. In the wake of her life rescuing efforts Haru builds a special bond with Mustafa ('' Kenan Ece''), an officer on the Ertuğrul. Although being very poor and having hardly to eat, the villagers share what little they have with strangers from a country 9,000 kilometers away.

Tehran episode

In the year 1985, during the

Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Ba'athist Iraq, Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations S ...

, Iraq announces an indiscriminate attack and to shoot down any aircraft over Iranian air space. Japanese Ambassador Yutaka Nomura (''

Toshiyuki Nagashima is a Japanese actor. He won the award for Best Newcomer at the 3rd Hochi Film Awards for '' Kaerazaru hibi'' and for Best Actor at the 6th Hochi Film Awards for '' Enrai''. Selected filmography Film *'' Kaerazaru hibi'' (1978) *''Third Base'' ...

'') requests rescue flights from Japan, but is told that a quick response is not possible. While evacuation flights from other nations are arriving, more than 300 Japanese are stranded in Tehran. Harumi (''

''), a teacher at the

Tehran Japanese School The is a nihonjin gakko, Japanese international school located in Tehran, Iran, attached to the Embassy of Japan in Tehran, Japanese Embassy. It used to be located in another area of Tehran. It serves primary school through junior high school. I ...

, prevails upon Nomura to ask the Turkish ambassador for help. Turkish Prime Minister

Turgut Özal Halil Turgut Özal (; 13 October 192717 April 1993) was a Turkish politician, who served as the 8th President of Turkey from 1989 to 1993. He previously served as the 26th Prime Minister of Turkey from 1983 to 1989 as the leader of the Mothe ...

(''Deniz Oral'') decides to evacuate the Japanese. In the morning of 19 March, only a few hours before Iraq's ultimatum expires, a Turkish Airlines aircraft takes off for Tehran. Not only is Tehran already under heavy rocket fire. But the remaining Turks at Tehran Mehrabad Airport still need to be convinced that they won't be able to board their own country's evacuation flight. That's when Turkish embassy staff Murat ('' Kenan Ece'') starts speaking out to his fellow citizens about the compassion and sacrifice Japanese villagers had shown to Turkish sailors shipwrecked far away a long time ago.

Background

The film was initiated by the residents of

Kushimoto 270px, Shionomisaki Southernmost Point Park is a coastal town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 15,192 in 8354 households and a population density of 110 persons per km2. The ...

, a coastal town in

Wakayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...

where the first episode of the film takes place. For a very long time they wanted to make a film about the

story and thus send a message of friendship and peace to the rest of the world. To pursue their goal, Kushimoto Mayor Katsumasa Tashima contacted film director

and the NPO Ertuğrul Saves the World was established in the city of

Wakayama Wakayama may refer to: *Wakayama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan *Wakayama (city) Wakayama City Hall is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 351,391 in 157066 househol ...

. After more than ten years of work the film was completed in 2015, commemorating the 125th anniversary of Japanese-Turkish friendship."「海難1890」特別先行上映舞台挨拶"
''PIA Kansai'', 27 November 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2018.

Cast

Leading artists

* Seiyo Uchino: Motosada Tamura * Kenan Ece: Mustafa/Murat *

: Haru/Harumi * Alican Yücesoy: Bekir

Supporting artists

Yui Natsukawa is a Japanese actress. She co-starred with Hiroshi Abe in the 2006 Japanese drama Kekkon Dekinai Otoko and in Hirokazu Kore-eda's 2008 film '' Still Walking''. Filmography Film * ''Sora ga Konnani Aoi Wake ga Nai'' (1993) - Kaoru Aoki * ''Yoru ...

: Yuki *

: Yutaka Nomura *

Naoto Takenaka is a Japanese actor, comedian, singer, and director from Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, affiliated with From First Production. He is married to idol singer and actress Midori Kinouchi. He is also known as the voice of Samuel L. ...

: Kudo *

Takashi Sasano is a Japanese actor. Career Sasano has appeared in Kiyoshi Kurosawa's films '' Bright Future'' (2003) and '' Before We Vanish'' (2017). He also appeared in Amir Naderi's 2011 film ''Cut''. Filmography Film * '' Tora-san's Island Encounter'' ( ...

: Mayor Sato * Shunsuke Daitoh: Shintaro *: Tome * Yukiyoshi Ozawa: Gentaro Fujimoto *: Kimura *: Shinichi * Yuu Tokui: Heiji * Yukijiro Hotaru: Takeshita * Rino Katase: Sato *

Mert Aygün Mert may refer to: People Given name * Mert (given name), a Turkish masculine given name. Surname * Bahar Mert (born 1975), Turkish volleyball player born in Bulgaria * Mesut Mert (born 1978), Canadian association football player and coach of T ...

: Ali Efendi * Mehmet Özgür: Âli Bey *

Uğur Polat Uğur Polat (born 4 September 1961, in Istanbul) is a Turkish actor. He graduated from theatre department of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. He was lecturer in Anadolu University. He joined the Ankara Art Theatre (Ankara Sanat Tiyatrosu). He has ...

: Osman Pasha ( tr) *: Michi Kimura *:

* Hakkı Haluk Cömert: Mahmut *: Naci * Melis Babadağ: Hatice * Tamer Levent: Süleyman Bey * Duygu Sarışın: Turkish Airlines ground staff * Ali Açıkbaş: Ertuğrul crew member * Can Akalın: Hüseyin * Eray Ayaz: Can * Yeliz Çelebi: Müge Sayar * Bertan Dirikolu: Turkish naval officer * Alper Düzen: İhsan Pekel * Yağız Elmastaşoğlu: Salih *: Biwa artist *: Kiyo *

Ayhan Işık Ayhan Işık (born Ayhan Işıyan; 5 May 1929 – 16 June 1979) was one of the pioneers of Turkish cinema and actors in Turkey, and among the most famous Turkish leading actors in the 1950s and 1960s. Biography Ayhan Işık was born Ayhan Iş ...

: Veysel Atasoy *: Tae *

Noboru Kaneko is a Japanese actor who is affiliated with Oscar Promotion. He graduated from the Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science University High School and then from the Department of Architecture in the Faculty of Engineering of the Nagasaki Institute of ...

: Yamamoto * Momoko Kato ( ja): Japanese national in Tehran *: Kushimoto resident *

Naoki Kawano is a Japanese actor and musician from Mobara, Chiba Prefecture. He is a former Johnny's Jr. member and is no longer represented by Johnny & Associates. While a Johnny's Jr., he was part of Kaidan Trio, TOKYO, and Kawano Band. He was also former ...

: Mankichi * Marie Kobayashi: Kushimoto resident * Masataka Kobayashi: Japanese embassy staff * Shingo Koike: Naoki Agata *: Mehmet Ali *: Takeo *: Katsu * Emiko Miyazaki: Kushimoto resident * Halit Mızraklı: Selim * Ayami Nakamura: Courtesan in Kushimoto *: Japanese national in Tehran * Akane Owaki: Courtesan in Kushimoto * Oğuz Öztekin: Hayri * Erkan Pekbay: Sarkis *: Nobu * Savaş Satış: Ertuğrul crew member *: Turkish Airlines official *: Miyamoto * Chiyo Takahashi: Courtesan in Kushimoto * Yuusaku Tanaka: Yoshimoto *: Yano *: Fukushima *: Hiroyuki Kimura *: Orhan Suyolcu

Release

Prior to the film's official launch, special screenings took place in

Wakayama City Wakayama City Hall is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 351,391 in 157066 households and a population density of 1700 persons per km². The total area of the city is ...

on 20 October 2015 and in

Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...

on 2 November 2015. A novelization by author Mika Toyoda was published on 6 November 2015. During a visit of Japanese Prime Minister

Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe ( ; ja, 安倍晋三, Hepburn: , ; 21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 20 ...

to Turkey, Abe and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan watched a 30-minute promotional version of the film at

Yıldız Palace Yıldız Palace ( tr, Yıldız Sarayı, ) is a vast complex of former imperial Ottoman pavilions and villas in Istanbul, Turkey, built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used as a residence by the sultan and his court in the late 19th ...

in Istanbul on 13 November 2015. They were joined by director

, actor Kenan Ece and actress Melis Babadağ. Pre-release screenings took place in

from 23 to 25 November 2015 and in

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

on 28 November 2015. After the world premiere on 1 December 2015 in Tokyo, the film was released in Japan on 5 December 2015, screening in 309 movie theaters. At the Marunouchi Toei Theater in Tokyo audiences were greeted by director Mitsutoshi Tanaka and actors Seiyo Uchino, Kenan Ece,

and

on the opening day. Following opening galas in

Ankara Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...

on 22 December 2015 and in Istanbul on 24 December 2015, the film was released in Turkey on 25 December 2015. In Turkey the film screened in 300 movie theaters. The theme song ''Ertuğrul Türküsü'', sung by Turkish folk singer Kubat, was released on 29 December 2015. In the film, the song is performed by actor Savaş Satış. Since its theatrical release the film has screened around the world, most notably at the 2016 Toronto Japanese Film Festival. A DVD and Blu-ray disc were released by Toei Video on 8 June 2016. Starting in 2021, online screenings took place in various countries, e.g. in the UK in June 2021 and in Canada and the USA in March 2022. The film is available online on demand on most common Japanese streaming platforms, among others on the Japanese site of Amazon Prime Video.

Reception

Box office

On its opening weekend in Japan, the film was fourth in both admissions, with 88,295, and gross, with . On its second weekend, it dropped to seventh, again both in admissions and in gross, with . On its third weekend, it was tenth placed in both admissions and gross, with . In

, where the first part of the film takes place, the film screened in 5 theaters. With 6,247 admissions and ¥6.9 million in ticket sales on its first day it became the highest grossing film on opening day in Wakayama for 2015. Total theatrical revenue was ¥780 million in Japan and ₺4.7 million in Turkey.

Accolades

References

External links

Official website
*
A Tale of Two Countries Bound by Tragedy and Heroism (Can Akalın, Nikkei Voice)Ertuğrul Filminde Torunlar Oynuyor (Gökhan Karakaş, Milliyet)

NPO Ertuğrul Saves the World

125 Years Memory novel by Mika Toyoda
{{in lang, ja Japanese drama films Turkish drama films 2015 drama films 2015 films Toei Company films Japanese multilingual films Turkish multilingual films 2015 multilingual films 2010s Japanese films