The Face of Jizo (2004)
"Chichi to kuraseba" (original title)

Based on a play by Hisashi Inoue, it focuses on the sufferings of the survivors of Hiroshima. The film takes place during 4 days in the summer of 1948, as the ghost of her father visits ... See full summary »

Director:

Kazuo Kuroki

Writers:

Shinya Ikeda (screenplay), Hisashi Inoue (play),

Stars:

Rie Miyazawa, Yoshio Harada, Tadanobu Asano

6 wins.

Cast

Cast overview:
Rie Miyazawa	...	Mitsue
Yoshio Harada	...	Takezou
Tadanobu Asano	...	Kinoshita

Storyline

Based on a play by Hisashi Inoue, it focuses on the sufferings of the survivors of Hiroshima. The film takes place during 4 days in the summer of 1948, as the ghost of her father visits Mitsué (Rié Miyama). He had somehow learned that she has fallen in love, and tries to convince her to start her new life. But Mitsué obstinately refuses his warm and humorous encouragements : « People were killed in my place. I do not have the right to find happiness », she says.

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Plot Keywords:

father daughter relationship | hiroshima japan | minimal cast | atomic bomb | based on play

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

31 July 2004 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Face of Jizo

Filming Locations:

Hiroshima, Japan

Box Office

Budget:

JPY 500,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aoi Promotion, Japan Sky Way, Pal

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

After The Bomb

This movie has special resonance now after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that just hit Japan. Based on a play, this film is about a young woman (played by Rie Miyazawa, who is quite good) who lives in post war Hiroshima almost three years after the atom bomb hit that city. She works as a librarian. The film is staged so that you understand that even though it is a few years post 1945, the city is still not built up much. The character's father (Yoshio Harada, also good) tries to convince his daughter to take up with a man named Kinoshita, but she keeps resisting, since she not only has post traumatic stress, but survivor's guilt. Her father continues to implore her but the young lady feels she is not worthy of love since she survived the bomb. The film is slow moving, staged like a play, but it is compelling. As a study in survivor's guilt, it hits the mark fairly well. This story is probably better seen live at a theater, as its simple staging owes more to theater than film. Its good, though, and like I said, think of the play staged with someone in one of the hardest hit areas of the recent disaster in Japan in 2014. You could produce something quite similar to this. I recommend it, just know going in it is slow moving and a little dark.