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The
International Cine Appreciation Forum (ICAF),
the Consulate General of Japan and the Madras Film Society organised a four-day Japanese Film Festival in Chennai recently
in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Indo-Japan
Culture Agreement and launch of the Indo-Japan Friendship and
Indo-Japan Tourism Promotion Year.
The films screened at the festival were:
(1) 'The Face of Jizo'
(2) 'The Hidden Blade'
(3) 'A Boy's Summer in 1945' and
(4) 'Robocon'.
Sakura Ozaki, vice-consul, Consulate-General
of Japan, in Chennai, inaugurated the festival, while R
Veeramani, Chairman, Gem Granite Group of Companies, and V
Indira Dutt, joint managing director, The K C P Ltd, were the
distinguished guests. Director-cienmatographer Balu Mahendra and
actress Mounica were the guests of honour.
A short note on the films: The Face
of Jizo (Directed by Kuroki Kazuo) The
story revolves around the life of Mitsue, a young woman who is a
survivor after Hiroshima was destroyed by the atomic bomb, and
her relationship with her father, Takezo. Mitsue was once a
young girl filled with hopes, dreams and courage yet her life
was changed forever when the atomic bomb was dropped. Mitsue and
her father had a wonderful relationship. Mitsue works in a
library, where Kinoshita, a professor, wishes to befriend her
and ask her help for his research on the effects of the atomic
bomb. Her father encourages their relationship, but Mitsue
pushes him away as she struggles with her feelings about the
past. But Mitsue has created her father as a ghost who had died
soon after the bomb exploded to cope with the struggles inside
her self. She is not scared of her feelings towards Kinoshita,
but is consumed by guilt that she did not die from the A-bomb
like her father and everyone she cared for. The ghost of Takezo
tries to help his daughter to overcome her guilt and her fear.
The story mainly focuses on how many of the survivors had to
deal with rebuilding their lives and healing their hearts and
their guilt for having survived their loved ones.
The Hidden Blade (Directed by Yamada Yofi)
The story is set in 1861, a time when Japan was facing
revolutionary changes. The once upstanding samurai class is
facing loss of its social status and economic securities.
Katagiri is a low-level samurai in a remote country town, whose
family lost position since his father was forced to commit
suicide for the mistake of someone else. The film begins with
his close friend Yaichiro leaving for a post in Edo, and the
marriage of the family's maid Kie, to a town merchant. Katagiri
has secretly been in love with Kie for years but his social
obligation does not accept. Kie's marriage has become a life of
servitude, but Katagiri helps her to nurse her back to health.
Kie shows her gratitude by resuming her duties as the maid of
the household. In the meantime, Katagiri's life takes a turn for
the worst when Yaichiro becomes involved in a plot to kill a
political rebel. Katagiri and Yaichiro were rival students of a
famous sword master, but Katagiri was the only one to learn the
secrets of the hidden blade. But we have to see the final
decision taken by Katagiri for setting his course of destiny.
A Boy's Summer in 1945 (Directed by Kuroki Kazuo)
The story takes place in Kirishima, Kagoshima prefecture, in the
summer of 1945 just before World War - II ends. Ninth-grader
Yasuo (Emoto Tasuku) evacuates Tokyo, separated from his
parents, and now lives with his rigid grandfather (Harada
Yoshio) and grandmother. While he was lucky to escape being
drafted due to ill health, he feels guilty about not being able
to saves his friend from a bomb attack and can't get accustomed
to the militant attitude around him. The story touches upon
people connected with Yasuo, such as Natsu, a server who feels a
kinship with him, and Natsu's mother who has a love affair with
a solidier in order to forget her husband's death. The film
portrays each character set against the beautiful scenery of
Kirishima. Robocon (Directed by Furumaya
Tomoyuki) Satomi studies in a technical
college. She is lazy and poor at both study and club activities.
One day her teacher tells her she is short of credits and needs
extra lessons. This will only make life more difficult of her,
but the teacher suggests that if she joins a robot club in the
college and participate in the coming ROBOCON, he will accept it
as a credit. Satomi, who hates losing, burns with passion for
the contest in order not to be disgraced in public. After
lodging together in preparation for the event, things go well
and as fruits of their labour they win the championship.
R Rangaraj |
