When we look on a plane world map, we find Japan to be at the corner of it, so is the title of the film 'In this Corner of the World" but the subject matter it touches remains universal for any country that is torn by the ravages of war.
This film keeps aside the political aspects of war not diffrentiating between which army is good or bad ; is their cause just or not, but rather it focuses on the real casualties of War i.e the Citizens of the Country fighting their own internal war just to survive during these harsh times and that too bit by bit and regularly.
The struggle to provide for the family, do daily chores, cook adequate food, collection ration to store for future and also to cook nutritional food, wear same garments for many days to save water and other rations, educate yourself and the young ones, produce and stitch handloom, baskets, pots, sandals, scarfs etc; dig air raid shelters and stop everything you were doing and run towards it as soon as the sirens start, maintain good relationshions with neighbours and locals; above all this, Live with a constant fear that someone close to you may die anytime but still you have to be strong mentally and physically to cope up with your losses.
ALL these things are hard on their own even in normal conditions and imagining that people lived through them regularly during wartime just increases the respect for their loss and efforts.
All these above mentioned things are shown beautifully in the movie along with a naive and young love story of our heroine 'SUZU', who has married just after turning 18 and now is providing for her husband's family and struggling to survive the war keeping her mind busy in daily chores and drawing(in which she is naturally very good). Her drawing skills are praised by her fellows at the same time get her in trouble with the authorities, who in a silly mistake think that she might be giving useful information to the enemy.
The story and the setting remind us of another emotional story set during ww2 of survival of two children in war torn japan, "Grave of the Fireflies(1988)". We are quickly, by the power of an excellent narrative, sympathised by the lead characters of both these movies and when tragedy shakes their world, we also feel their pain and grief.
The soundtrack of both of these films is completely apt and helps us understand the mindset of the leads. Soothing and mellow and at the same time haunting. Cinematography and the use of colours is amazing along with historical acccuracy and facts, every frame is like a painting and the efforts of the artists is highly appreciated. It may have not shown the devastating effect of the atomic bomb and its aftermath on the people and surroundings as "Barefoot Gen(1983)" did but focuses on showing beauty among chaos. When Suzu sees the air raid for the first time she is not terrified, rather she is astonished by it and sees the brusting bombs in the sky as the brushstrokes of colour popping on a canvas and thinks of drawing the raided sky on paper. Also when the fire sticks are thrown by the planes, she sees them and even when one falls in her home she waits for a few moments before deciding to put it out. These examples show that she and anyone else willingly never ask to be in such harsh situations but are forced by contitions to live like this.
Sunao Katabuchi had no reason making this movie this Beautiful but Good Gracious, it is beautiful.
If the "Human Condition Trilogy" by Masaki Kobayashi helps us in understanding the dilemma of a soldier, this movie helps us understand and appreciate the struggle of the citizens.
There were many "Suzu's" whose efforts were as much important as their husbands, brothers, fathers fighting on the front; and this movie does justice to every one of their struggle and losses.
This film keeps aside the political aspects of war not diffrentiating between which army is good or bad ; is their cause just or not, but rather it focuses on the real casualties of War i.e the Citizens of the Country fighting their own internal war just to survive during these harsh times and that too bit by bit and regularly.
The struggle to provide for the family, do daily chores, cook adequate food, collection ration to store for future and also to cook nutritional food, wear same garments for many days to save water and other rations, educate yourself and the young ones, produce and stitch handloom, baskets, pots, sandals, scarfs etc; dig air raid shelters and stop everything you were doing and run towards it as soon as the sirens start, maintain good relationshions with neighbours and locals; above all this, Live with a constant fear that someone close to you may die anytime but still you have to be strong mentally and physically to cope up with your losses.
ALL these things are hard on their own even in normal conditions and imagining that people lived through them regularly during wartime just increases the respect for their loss and efforts.
All these above mentioned things are shown beautifully in the movie along with a naive and young love story of our heroine 'SUZU', who has married just after turning 18 and now is providing for her husband's family and struggling to survive the war keeping her mind busy in daily chores and drawing(in which she is naturally very good). Her drawing skills are praised by her fellows at the same time get her in trouble with the authorities, who in a silly mistake think that she might be giving useful information to the enemy.
The story and the setting remind us of another emotional story set during ww2 of survival of two children in war torn japan, "Grave of the Fireflies(1988)". We are quickly, by the power of an excellent narrative, sympathised by the lead characters of both these movies and when tragedy shakes their world, we also feel their pain and grief.
The soundtrack of both of these films is completely apt and helps us understand the mindset of the leads. Soothing and mellow and at the same time haunting. Cinematography and the use of colours is amazing along with historical acccuracy and facts, every frame is like a painting and the efforts of the artists is highly appreciated. It may have not shown the devastating effect of the atomic bomb and its aftermath on the people and surroundings as "Barefoot Gen(1983)" did but focuses on showing beauty among chaos. When Suzu sees the air raid for the first time she is not terrified, rather she is astonished by it and sees the brusting bombs in the sky as the brushstrokes of colour popping on a canvas and thinks of drawing the raided sky on paper. Also when the fire sticks are thrown by the planes, she sees them and even when one falls in her home she waits for a few moments before deciding to put it out. These examples show that she and anyone else willingly never ask to be in such harsh situations but are forced by contitions to live like this.
Sunao Katabuchi had no reason making this movie this Beautiful but Good Gracious, it is beautiful.
If the "Human Condition Trilogy" by Masaki Kobayashi helps us in understanding the dilemma of a soldier, this movie helps us understand and appreciate the struggle of the citizens.
There were many "Suzu's" whose efforts were as much important as their husbands, brothers, fathers fighting on the front; and this movie does justice to every one of their struggle and losses.