| Toni Collette | ... | Sandy Edwards | |
| Gotaro Tsunashima | ... | Hiromitsu Tachibana | |
| Matthew Dyktynski | ... | Bill Baird | |
| Lynette Curran | ... | Mum | |
| Yumiko Tanaka | ... | Yukiko Tachibana | |
| Kate Atkinson | ... | Jackie | |
| Bill Young | ... | Jimmy Smithers | |
| Reg Evans | ... | Bloke in Row Boat | |
| George Shevtsov | ... | James | |
| Justine Clarke | ... | Jane | |
| Igor Sas | ... | Fraser | |
| Mike Frencham | ... | Blake | |
| John Howard | ... | Richards | |
| Phil Bennett | ... | Barman | |
| Heath Bergersen | ... | Petrol Bloke | |
| Jules Hutchinson | ... | Canteen Worker (as Jules Hutchison) | |
| Kuni Hashimoto | ... | Japanese Translator | |
| Mark McAullay | ... | Watson | |
| Greg McNeill | ... | Tom Goodwin | |
| Stephen Parkin | ... | Cargo Man | |
| Dean Vince | ... | Karaoke Singer | |
| Peter Webb | ... | Tony | |
| Koji Kioka | ... | Hiromitsu's Child in Photo | |
| Nanami Kioka | ... | Hiromitsu's Child in Photo |
Directed by | |||
| Sue Brooks | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Alison Tilson | (written by) | |
Produced by | |||
| Simon Beaufoy | .... | associate producer | |
| Mark Blaney | .... | associate producer | |
| Sue Brooks | .... | co-producer | |
| Bille Eltringham | .... | associate producer | |
| David Lightfoot | .... | line producer | |
| Magnus Mansie | .... | co-line producer | |
| Sue Maslin | .... | producer | |
| Alison Tilson | .... | co-producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Elizabeth Drake | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Ian Baker | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Jill Bilcock | |||
Casting by | |||
| Dina Mann | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Paddy Reardon | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Kelvin Sexton | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Margot Wilson | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Suzanne Meaney | .... | hair stylist | |
| Suzanne Meaney | .... | makeup artist | |
| Jan Zeigenbein | .... | hair designer (as Jan 'Ziggy' Zeigenbein) | |
| Jan Zeigenbein | .... | makeup designer (as Jan 'Ziggy' Zeigenbein) | |
Production Management | |||
| Mike Montague | .... | unit manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Mark Boskell | .... | second assistant director | |
| Rachel Evans | .... | first assistant director (as Rachel Evans Artis) | |
| Jeremy Grogan | .... | second second assistant director | |
| Brad Holyoake | .... | third assistant director | |
| Zena Loxton | .... | assistant director attachment | |
| Jessica Woodland | .... | additional assistant director (uncredited) | |
Art Department | |||
| Allan Brown | .... | props buyer | |
| Allan Brown | .... | set dresser | |
| Erin Kealley | .... | art department runner | |
| Michelle Martin | .... | art department coordinator | |
| David Norton-Woad | .... | assistant stand-by props | |
| Michael O'Sullivan | .... | stand-by props (as Mick O'Sullivan) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Steve Burgess | .... | foley artist | |
| Craig Carter | .... | sound effects | |
| Robert 'Gotch' Cutcher | .... | boom operator (as Rob Cutcher) | |
| Helen Field | .... | facilities management: Soundfirm Australia | |
| Chris Goodes | .... | mix assistant | |
| Peter Grace | .... | sound recordist | |
| Frank Lipson | .... | sound effects | |
| Gerard Long | .... | foley artist | |
| Robin May | .... | sound engineer | |
| Livia Ruzic | .... | supervising sound editor | |
| Peter D. Smith | .... | sound mixer (as Peter Smith) | |
| Peter Winkler | .... | additional sound engineer | |
Special Effects by | |||
| David Trethewey | .... | special effects supervisor | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Mark Dickson | .... | visual effects supervisor | |
| Ross Mitchell | .... | optical effects | |
| Tony Poriazis | .... | film recording supervisor | |
| Martin Wiseman | .... | visual effects producer | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Anthony Argiro | .... | generator operator (as Antonio Argiro) | |
| Tov Belling | .... | focus puller | |
| Michael Bespalov | .... | assistant grip | |
| Paul Fimister | .... | camera attachment | |
| Mark Goellnicht | .... | Steadicam operator | |
| Mark Goellnicht | .... | camera operator | |
| Chris Hansford | .... | grip | |
| Rob Hansford | .... | key grip | |
| Megan Lewis | .... | still photographer | |
| Katie Milwright | .... | clapper loader (as Katie Robinson Milwright) | |
| Chris Shanahan | .... | best boy | |
| Rory Timoney | .... | gaffer | |
| Chris 'Chalky' Chalk | .... | electrician (uncredited) | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Amanda Irving | .... | costume supervisor | |
| Penny Saunders | .... | costume buyer | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Billy Browne | .... | editing attachment | |
| Paul Cross | .... | negative matcher | |
| Pamela Hammond | .... | head of post-production | |
| Emily Klooster | .... | post-production coordinator | |
| Ian Letcher | .... | color grader | |
| Stanley Lopuszanski | .... | high definition color grader | |
| Cleo Myles | .... | assistant editor | |
Music Department | |||
| Ricky Edwards | .... | orchestrator | |
| Peter Jones | .... | musician: drums | |
| Peter Neville | .... | musician: percussion | |
| Satsuili Odamura | .... | musician: koto and shamisen (as Satsuki Odamura) | |
| Naomi Ota | .... | translator: song lyrics | |
| John Phillips | .... | musician: guitar | |
| Christine Woodruff | .... | music clearances | |
Transportation Department | |||
| David Bell | .... | driver: Toni Collette | |
| Kim Sexton | .... | vehicle coordinator | |
| Steve Wells | .... | tracking vehicle: Shotmaker | |
Other crew | |||
| George Adams | .... | completion guarantor: First Australian Completion Bond | |
| Ian Anderson | .... | laboratory liaison | |
| Maurie Annese | .... | script workshop participant | |
| Jennifer Baird | .... | consultant: geology (as Dr. Jennifer Baird) | |
| John Bell | .... | security assistant | |
| Leni Binos | .... | production accountant assistant: Moneypenny Services | |
| Snowy Bostock | .... | security officer | |
| Sue Brooks | .... | script editor | |
| Hugh Cann | .... | interpreter: Japanese | |
| Rainey Carah | .... | safety officer | |
| Helen Clarke | .... | caterer: Hel's Kitchen | |
| Naomi Cleaver | .... | production coordinator | |
| Robyn Coombs | .... | caterer: Hel's Kitchen | |
| Emma Downey | .... | rushes telecine operator | |
| Jacqueline Fairfax | .... | stand-in: Sandy | |
| Rob Fisher | .... | completion guarantor: First Australian Completion Bond | |
| Tony Gibbs | .... | insurance: HW Wood | |
| Betty Grigg | .... | assistant: Alison Tilson and Sue Brooks | |
| Foster Hart | .... | entertainment lawyer | |
| Ryan Hodgson | .... | unit assistant | |
| Sacha Horler | .... | script workshop participant | |
| Jack Hunt | .... | unit assistant | |
| Jimmy Jack | .... | stand-in: Hiromitsu | |
| Adrian Kortus | .... | safety officer | |
| Lottie Lawrence | .... | translator: Japanese | |
| John Lonie | .... | script editor | |
| Bec Matthews | .... | assistant to producer | |
| Bec Matthews | .... | production secretary | |
| Monica Maughan | .... | script workshop participant | |
| Kate McCarthy | .... | production runner | |
| Bill Miller | .... | unit assistant | |
| Stuart Morrice | .... | production runner: Western Australia | |
| Kazuhiro Muroyama | .... | script workshop participant | |
| Donovan Norgard | .... | location manager | |
| Bobbie Salmon | .... | location assistant | |
| Caroline Scott | .... | conforming assistant | |
| Sophie Siomos | .... | production accountant: Monnypenny Services | |
| Greg Sitch | .... | entertainment lawyer | |
| Annette Smith | .... | unit publicist | |
| Corrie Soeterboek | .... | completion guarantor: First Australian Completion Bond | |
| Jo Stewart | .... | post-production script | |
| Susie Struth | .... | continuity | |
| Art Thompson | .... | safety report | |
| Duncan Thompson | .... | script editor | |
| Kate Thompson | .... | nurse | |
| Keith Thompson | .... | script editor | |
| Peggy Warren | .... | logistics coordinator | |
| Justine Wilcox | .... | assistant: Toni Collette | |
| Naomi Cleaver | .... | production coordinator (uncredited) | |
| Tony Nagle | .... | post-production accountant (uncredited) | |
Thanks | |||
| Karin Altmann | .... | special thanks | |
| Wouter Barendrecht | .... | special thanks: Fortissimo Film | |
| Tait Brady | .... | special thanks: Palace Films | |
| Alan Brooks | .... | special thanks | |
| Tania Chambers | .... | special thanks | |
| Sharon Connolly | .... | special thanks | |
| John Crowley | .... | special thanks: BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty. Ltd. | |
| Yoko Davies | .... | special thanks | |
| Noelle Deschamps | .... | special thanks | |
| Claire Dobbin | .... | special thanks | |
| Claire Dubert | .... | special thanks | |
| Krystelle Gardiner | .... | special thanks | |
| Glenda Hambly | .... | special thanks | |
| Julie Heath | .... | special thanks: BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty. Ltd. | |
| Julie Marlow | .... | special thanks | |
| Ross Matthews | .... | special thanks (as Ross Mathews) | |
| Bob McCarron | .... | special thanks | |
| Desha Meaney | .... | special thanks | |
| Rob Meldrum | .... | special thanks | |
| Hisaaki Nagao | .... | special thanks | |
| Zaneta Onasz | .... | thanks | |
| Ursula Pagels | .... | thanks | |
| David Rapsey | .... | special thanks | |
| Sally Regan | .... | special thanks | |
| Roger Savage | .... | special thanks | |
| Sandra Schauby | .... | special thanks | |
| Charlotte Seymour | .... | special thanks | |
| Louise Taylor | .... | special thanks | |
| Raymond Taylor | .... | special thanks | |
| Alison Tokita | .... | special thanks | |
| Yurni Umiamaro | .... | special thanks | |
| Elke Wardaga | .... | special thanks | |
| Michael J. Werner | .... | special thanks: Fortissimo Film | |
| Mark Woods | .... | special thanks | |
| Natalie Worthington | .... | special thanks: BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty. Ltd. | |
| Antonio Zeccola | .... | special thanks: Palace Films (as Tony Zeccola) | |
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| Kings & Queen | The Last Kiss | Eyes Wide Shut | Short Cuts | Muriel's Wedding |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb Australia section |
This is as much an Australian story as a Japanese one. We are not about to turn Japanese, but our close economic relationship over the last 50 years has to some extent transcended the cultural gap that divides us, and the bitterness of World War 2. On one level, this is a very personal story of two people from different cultures who become closer than they might have imagined. On another level it examines two very different cultures tied together by economic necessity. These themes are played out in a truly awe- inspiring ancient landscape, which, as others have remarked, is a character on its own.
I've not been to the Pilbara, but I've been to places like it elsewhere in Australia, and they tend to have the effect of reminding you of the fragility of your existence. The Aborigines (represented here by only a gas station attendant) regarded themselves as belonging to the land and here you can see why. It's not clear what Tachibana Hiromitsu, the rich businessman's son, is looking for in the desert, but he certainly feels its power. Just why Sandy the tough female geologist comes to harbour tender feelings towards him is not evident either; perhaps it's the mothering instinct at work- he's not an adaptable kind of guy and perhaps she senses his vulnerability.
Apart from the firm refusal to turn this film into a romantic comedy, despite some `When Harry Met Sally' moments, there are several other things going for it. First there is Toni Collette's entirely convincing performance which overcomes some weaknesses in the storyline (and improbabilities in her character). She has a lot of ground to cover, from boredom to hilarity, from dislike to intimacy, and from terror to melancholy.
Second, the cinematography fully exploits the scenery without detracting from the story. Much of `Japanese Story' was filmed around Port Headland in the Pilbara, but it's not a tourist brochure. Third, even the minor parts are played with precision (eg John Howard as the BHP man and Yukimo Tanaka as Tachibana's wife). It's difficult to judge just how effective Gotaro Tsunashima is you'd need to be Japanese, I guess, and anyway the script is from an Australian, Alison Tilson. To my eyes he seems real enough, if we accept he's from a very privileged and sheltered background. It's interesting that Sandy seems to be the initiator of their intimacy (he doesn't resist!).
I think this film would hold up well anywhere. It has more than the usual emotional content for an Australian film, an intriguing and poignant story, good acting, and it's not too long. The admission price is also considerably cheaper than an air ticket to Port Headland.