'shara' by naomi kawase

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just want to encourage everyone to see this film. it's by a young (obv female) japanese director, i believe it's her third feature film. it takes place in nara, an ancient capital of japan. if i recount the plot to you it might sound overfamiliar. and although i didn't particularly love the style of filming (i didn't dislike it by any means, but it made use of a lot of hand-held camerawork and slightly showy traveling shots which aren't my cup of tea) the way the story is told, and the nature of kawase's interest in her characters, made it really wonderul to watch.

there need to be more films about pregnancy, and giving birth.

there is also a sort of incipient romance between two teenagers that is only barely sketched in but is very atypical (for the movie) and moving besides. the two kids actually share important life experiences (i know, i know, gag, but it's true) and the nature of their growing bond was more convincing and inspiring to me than a million meet-cute scenarios.

i don't want to praise the film in negative terms, but it does seem to offer a vision from japan that has little to do with the japanese films that typically go abroad, and needless to say has little to do with the boutique-label japan that momus often reports on.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Sunday, 4 April 2004 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

"is very atypical (for the movies)"

sorry, that last "s" is important

― amateur!st (amateurist), Sunday, 4 April 2004 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

if anyone's been to nara can you tell me about the traditional dances that take place there, and what the town is like in general?

― amateur!st (amateurist), Sunday, 4 April 2004 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll keep an eye out for it, sounds like the kinda story kawabata would write.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 4 April 2004 16:47 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.sharasouju.com/

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 4 April 2004 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

When I was there it was rainy and overcast, and it was where I spent the day with a friend whom I haven't seen since. So I have a slightly melancholy memory of it.

The city has lots of deer roaming around and a giant buddha statue. I got some really good green tea there too.

― A Nairn (moretap), Sunday, 4 April 2004 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

"with the boutique-label japan that momus often reports on. "

Nara's population isn't as much modern or young as Tokyo's is. It may be one of the most tradational feeling large cities in Japan, even more than Kyoto.

― A Nairn (moretap), Sunday, 4 April 2004 17:10 (twenty-one years ago)