Whose Film is It Anyway? Contemporary Japanese Auteurs

Another year, another Japan Foundation themed film programme. The theme this year is that of narrative creativity, looking at various Japanese auteurs and how their work is very much a reflection of their own personal vision. 9 films made up this year’s programme, though due to my commitment to watching Millwall-Derby (a shitcunt of a 0-0 bore) and Villa losing again, as well as comedy watching commitments, I only made it to two of the films on offer, with the ones I saw more down to schedule than preference.

The Dark Harbour

Sad and lonely fisherman, Manzo, finds that his usual pulling technique of putting on a leather jacket and sniffing a rose has failed one time too many, and so tries an organised party with city women in which introductory videos of local males are shown to entice knicker-dampening. His video fails, though leads him to discover a strange woman and young boy that have been hiding out in his house. Out of loneliness, he invites them to stay, leading to an unusual relationship developing between the trio, though ends as abruptly as it was started.

Largely a comedy about the patheticnessness of men seeking sex, the first half of the film is mainly laughing at poor Manzo as he looks for love. The second half, however, is a sadder period as the unusual relationship begins to break, though never dwells on things for too long. Takatsugu Naito’s film is largely gentle, never winning huge laughs nor shedding too many tears, though does enough to win itself a second date.

All Around Us

An ambitious piece, ’All Around Us’ charts a couple of a ten year period as they come to terms with the death of their infant daughter. Along the way, various major events that took place in Japan are featured in an attempt to show how the couple’s journey reflects that of Japan’s over the years. While her husband remains relatively stoic, keeping his feelings very much to himself, Shoko struggles to cope with the death at times, falling into a state of depression, though eventually they overcome their troubles as time passes.

Himself having suffered from depression, Ryosuke Hashiguchi looks at the various ways in which different people cope with loss while those around them get to grips with the changing times in the nation. This requires some strong performances and the cast do enough of a job to deliver, as well as the always reliable Susumu Terajima in support; and shades of Hana-bi feature towards the end, as Shoko uses the flowers surrounding her to inspire artwork in overcoming her depression.

‘Sleep’, another film featured, I had previously seen in another festival, looking at another strange family set up as the mother seeks revenge over the man who raped her. Though sadly I missed the remaining six films, including the supposed highlight ‘I Just Didn’t Do It’. The programme now moves on to Sheffield, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and other such places you would never wish to live.