Jirai wo fundara sayônara (1999)

A biographical film of war photographer, Taizo Ichinose.

Director:

Shô Igarashi

Writer:

Toshiharu Maruuchi (screenplay)

Stars:

Tadanobu Asano, Chao Channary, Thorng Darachhaya

2 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Tadanobu Asano	...	Taizo Ichinose
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chao Channary
Thorng Darachhaya	...	Lookrew (Teacher)
Michiko Hada	...	Yoshino Ichinose
Jin Hirao
Vo Song Huong	...	Le Phan (waitress of cafe)
Yoshie Ichige	...	Nobuko Ichinose
O-pas Janesomboom	...	Channa
Pinyo Janesomboom	...	Sotta
Yûsuke Kawazu	...	Seiji Ichinose
Mikiko Miki
Yukimasa Natori
Peng Phan
Robert Slater	...	Tim Hill
Ken'ichi Yajima	...	Lookrew (Teacher)

Storyline

A biographical film of war photographer, Taizo Ichinose.

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Taglines:

You, have you truly lived your own life?)

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

4 December 1999 (Japan)

Also Known As:

One Step on a Mine, It's All Over

Company Credits

Production Co:

Team Okuyama

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Occasionally moving portrait of a war photographer

This is the story of a young Japanese photographer, Taizo Ichinose, who worked during the conflicts of Vietnam and Cambodia in the early 1970's. At the start of the movie, his only wish is to become a successful war photographer getting his photos on the front page of the New York Times etc.. He becomes increasingly obsessed with taking a photograph of Angkor Wat in North Eastern Cambodia, which was at that time held by the Khmer Rouge, initially as a means of acheiving the above, but it eventually becomes the goal itself. This is based on a true story, and I don't know what parts have been embellished but some of the elements of this movie has been well covered in other movies; battle scar'd war journalists, friendly locals, the outsider, the statutory beautiful Vietnamese woman etc. etc. Having said all that, I still enjoyed this movie, mostly because of Tadanobu Asano, who plays the lead role. He creates an intensely likable character; brave, genuine, curious (though not intrusive), intelligent, optimistic of human nature in the face of so much horror, able to learn and accept the diversity of the world. A hero for our time perhaps ? There's also some lovely shots of Angkor, which could be described as being to Asia what the Pyramids are to Africa.