125 Years Memory (2015)

Based on two historical incidents that deepened the friendship between Japan and Turkey.

Director:

Mitsutoshi Tanaka

Writers:

Eriko Komatsu (screenplay), Eriko Komatsu

Stars:

Seiyô Uchino, Kenan Ece, Shioli Kutsuna

2 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Seiyô Uchino	...	Motosada Tamura
Kenan Ece	...	Mustafa / Murat
Shioli Kutsuna	...	Haru / Harumi
Alican Yücesoy	...	Bekir
Shunsuke Daitô	...	Shintaro (as Shunsuke Daitoh)
Ayako Kobayashi	...	Tome
Toshiyuki Nagashima	...	Yutaka Nomura
Yui Natsukawa	...	Yuki
Takashi Sasano	...	Mayor Sato
Ayumi Takano	...	Michi Kimura
Naoto Takenaka	...	Dr. Kudo
Yukijirô Hotaru	...	Takeshita
Rino Katase	...	Sato
Yukiyoshi Ozawa	...	Gentaro Fujimoto
Takayuki Takuma	...	Kimura

Storyline

Ertugrul, launched in 1863, was a sailing frigate of the Ottoman Navy. While returning from a goodwill voyage from Japan in 1890, she encountered a typhoon off the coast of Wakayama Prefecture, subsequently drifted into a reef and sank. The maritime accident resulted in the loss of 533 sailors, including Admiral Ali Osman Pasha. Only sixty-nine sailors and officers survived and returned home later aboard two Japanese corvettes. The event is still commemorated as a foundation stone of Japanese-Turkish friendship. Wikipedia.

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Plot Keywords:

japan | sultan | turks | ottoman empire | turk | 

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Genres:

Drama | History

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User Reviews

The story of how Japanese villagers came to the aid of Turkish sailors shipwrecked off the coast of Wakayama in 1890

Review of "Kainan 1890"

I was fortunate enough to see a screening of "Kainan 1890" in Japan recently, and I must say that it was a thoroughly uplifting experience. The joint project of the Japanese and Turkish governments tells the story of the ill-fated Ertugrul, a Turkish frigate carrying an Ottoman envoy that was sunk in a typhoon off the coast of Wakayama, Japan. It focuses on the villagers of Kushimoto who risked their lives and gave all of their meager resources to save the crew members who survived the wreck, as well as recover bodies from the wreckage.

I'm not here to critique the acting or the production values of the film, which were adequate if not outstanding. The importance of the film lies in its message. Cynics will probably say that the film is overly melodramatic, and to an extent, I would have to agree. However, I found that the honest human emotions conveyed throughout the film overpowered the cynic in me, and I felt genuinely moved by the story. What cannot be denied is that this one act of humanitarian kindness laid the foundation for a friendship between two very distant countries that flourishes to this day, and had very real reciprocal consequences nearly a century later when Turkey came to the aid of Japanese nationals. So there is a big emotional payoff in the coda of the film, which came as somewhat of a surprise, since I had been expecting a story that focused only on the shipwreck itself. What goes around comes around (in a very good way here).

In a time where movies tend to focus on escapism, violence, explosions and spectacle, this story stands out as a positive example of how individual actions can make a difference in the way that countries perceive each other and lay the groundwork for friendly relations. It's the kind of lesson that needs to be talked about more in an age where terrorism and religious violence are casting an increasingly long shadow around the world.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook [Turkey] Official Instagram [Turkey]

Country:

Japan Turkey

Language:

Japanese Turkish English

Release Date:

5 December 2015 (Japan)

Also Known As:

125 Years Memory

Filming Locations:

Kushimoto, Wakayama, Japan

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,453,160

Company Credits

Production Co:

Agency for Cultural Affairs, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), BS Fuji

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1