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Ari no machi no Maria

Maria of the Ant Village

蟻の街のマリア

Release Date: December, 7th, 1958

Running Time: 110 min

Genre: Feature

Color: -

Screening Format: -

Screen Size: -

Sound Processing: -

[ Directed by ]

GOSHO Heinosuke

[ Cast ]

[ Staff ]

MATSUI Toru ── Original Story
TAKENO Haruo ── Cinematography
AKUTAGAWA Yasushi ── Music

[ Production Company ]

SHOCHIKU

[ Distributor (Japan) ]

SHOCHIKU

[ Story ]

Alongside Tokyo's Sumida River is a ragpickers' settlement known as Ant Village. One night, a young Catholic girl, Satoko Kitahara, who has been baptized under the name of Maria, comes to offer her services.
However, Ant Village is not just an ordinary vagrants' community but a fine autonomous organization, and as the municipal authorities have long been demanding that the people of Ant Village leave the site, Satoko is utilized to publicize the Village and win public sympathy.
While being utilized in this manner, Satoko is nevertheless glad to be able to help the people of Ant Village, especially the children, and when the summer vacation comes she decides to take the children on an excursion to Hakone. To raise funds for this purpose she becomes a rag-picker herself. But in her efforts to help the children she ruins her health.
But just before her death she is informed that her friends are assured of a home, for the authorities have made a concession and a new Ant Village is to be built at another site.

【Quoted from Unijapan Film Quarterly 1959 2.2】

[ Contact (International) ]

SHOCHIKU CO., LTD.
International Sales & Licensing
13F, 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

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