Release Date

January, 26th, 2008

Running Time

133 min

Genre

Drama , Feature

Color

Color

Screening Format

35mm

Screen Size

American Vista (1:1.85)

Sound Processing

-,Dolby SRD

[ Directed by ]

• YAMADA Yoji

[ Produced by ]

• FUKASAWA Hiroshi
• YAJIMA Takashi

[ Cast ]

• YOSHINAGA Sayuri ── NOGAMI Kayo
• ASANO Tadanobu ── YAMASAKI Toru
• DAN Rei ── NOGAMI Hisako

[ Staff ]

• YAMADA Yoji ── Screenplay
• HIRAMATSU Emiko ── Screenplay
• NAGANUMA Mutsuo ── Cinematography
• DEGAWA Mitsuo ── Production Design
• TOMITA Isao ── Music
• ISHI Iwao ── Editor

[ Production Company ]

KABEI-Our Mother Film Partners

[ Distributor (Japan) ]

SHOCHIKU

[ Production Studio ]

SHOCHIKU

[ Story ]

The latest by Yamada Yoji, who received a lot of attention both domestically and internationally for his trilogy of period dramas starting with The Twilight Samurai, which was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Award. Based on Nogami Teruyo's non-fiction, Chichi he no rekuiemu (Requiem for father), where she wrote about the memories of her family. Nogami Teruyo was Kurosawa Akira's longtime scripter. The film was officially entered in the 58th Berlin International Film Festival Competition section.
Set in Tokyo in 1940. The war with China continues and the times are bleak, but the Nogami family, a couple with two young daughters, lives an austere but happy existence, centering on the mother, Kayo (Yoshinaga Sayuri), who is affectionately called "Kabei". One day, her husband Shigeru (Bando Mitsugoro), a literary scholar, is suddenly arrested for violating the Peace Preservation Law. He is suspected of being a thought criminal because of his liberal views amidst the rising nationalism. With the help of one of Shigeru's students, Yamasaki (Asano Tadanobu), the family strives to live courageously and waits for Shigeru's return. However, their wish is not fulfilled, as one day in winter, a notice arrives, informing the family of Shigeru's death at prison. In an ironic twist, this notice is accompanied by Shigeru's last letter which was sent from within the prison.

[ Official Site ]

http://www.shochikufilms.com/film/detail.php?product_code=682

[ Premiere ]

International Premiere: Berlin International Film Festival

[ Contact (International) ]

SHOCHIKU CO., LTD.
International Sales & Licensing
Togeki Bldg., 4-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8422
tel: +81-3-5550-1623
fax: +81-3-5550-1654
E-mail: ibd@shochiku.co.jp
http://www.shochikufilms.com