Chronicle of My Mother

Some movies and some books have an essence that is difficult to put into words because the emotions they allow you to feel are well beyond speech. This story may start by being about resentment, unspoken hurt and pain, but eventually it also becomes about great love, affection and devotion. Most of it had been happening behind the scenes or in the shadows, which is why misunderstandings had happened and unnecessary sadness grew and bitterness festered. The poetic quality of this story is nothing short of amazing. At one point I couldn't help but shed a few tears for Kosaku, whose life seemed to be somehow commanded by his pain for being abandoned as a child, but never quite believing in the love his mother held for him. In a way this movie is a story of redemption for several characters.

The opening shot is reminiscent of OZU's FLOATING WEEDS in which NAKAMURA GANJIRO and KYO MACHIKO had a shouting match in the rain, taking shelters in an alley separated by the hard rain. KYO had a red umbrella. So did this opening. A woman who wears the exact kimono KYO wore runs across the screen, breaking the tension between Young mother and her son, Kosaku. Beautiful tribute to the OZU masterpiece.

The film starts with the hard rain and ends with the end of rain. Young mother gives Kosaku a lucky charm in the opening. Aged Kosaku returns the lucky charm to his mother in the coffin in the end. Fascinating book-end effect! In between, many scenes involving water. At one point, Kosaku refers "Sea" as metaphor of Death.

His second daughter leaves for Hawaii by the sea reminiscent to the departure episode in TOKYO TWILIGHT. OZU tributes everywhere, yet the characters are deep on their own. Probably deeper than any characters in OZU films.

And then INGMAR BERGMAN. I think the basic situation of the novelist/antagonist is similar to GUNNAR BJORNSTRAND role in THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY.

This film won the Special Jury Grand Prix at the 2011 Montreal World Film Festival. How come it's not recorded in the award column?