VOL. 25 NO. 8 A National Forum for Japanese Canadians October 2011 N ikkei Voice , Octo ber 2011 - 7 10 - Nikkei Voice, October 2011 new actor and best new actress at TIFF this year’s Venice Film Festival. All Kinds of Emotion Seen in A bloodier but somewhat from page 7 comedic film, from director Kat - suhito Ishii ( Shark Skin Man and eda ( Air Doll , 2009), who was in Japanese Films at TIFF 2011 Peach Hip Girl , 1998; The Taste of attendance. Although a less harrow - Tea , 2004), Smuggler is full of inven - ing story than his Nobody Knows (for tive slow-motion depictions of gang - which 14-year-old Yuya Yagira won By EVAN A. MACKAY sters knocking the spit out of each Best Actor at Cannes International TORONTO—There were eight fea - other, in a most literal and graphic Film Festival, 2004), this film again ture films from Japan screened at the fashion. Satoshi Tsumabuki shows depicts children taking responsibility Toronto International Film Festival versatility as reluctant Kinuta, newly for their destinies while their imma - (TIFF) 2011 last month. Many recruited as an underworld smuggler. ture parents muddle through life. In movie-goers wondered what to The acting, story and cinematog - Kiseki , two young brothers (which the expect from Japan’s film industry in raphy are deftly handled, and Ishii has actors are), each being raised by one the wake of the Tohoku earthquake effectively translated to the screen the parent in separate cities, agree to meet this past March. While no film was manga by Shohei Manabe, but while in between at Kumamoto to make a “about” that catastrophe, filmmaker there are some hilarious characters wish at the very place and moment and poet Sion Sono adapted his new and scenes in Smuggler , presenting that the new bullet trains will pass film Himizu (“mole”)—in produc - the torturer as an absurd diaper-wear - each other for the first time. The seven tion at the time—to be set in the ing, be-goggled pain fetishist does not child actors, some of them new to act - aftermath of the disaster. Without make the long, stomach-turning tor - ing, carry the story with great success. changing the story, (based on the ture scene laughable. During the Kore-eda explained, during the post- manga by Furuya Minoru), Sono Q&A after the late-night “Midnight screening Q&A, that the children used the screenplay to deliver a ral - Madness” screening, Nikkei Voice were cast based on their ability to lying cry to the people of Japan. asked director Ishii, “Wouldn’t the improvise. Nikkei Voice asked Kore- Himizu is the story of 14-year-old film be more entertaining with less eda whether he makes his films for a Sumida (Shota Sometani) and his torture?” The rowdy, giddy audience Japanese audience or an international desperate struggle just to make an protested “No!” and then Ishii con - audience. “Both,” he replied. “I make ordinary life for himself out of the Kiseki (I Wish) by director Hirokazu Kore-eda was one of the fessed, “I originally wanted to make a film for an individual. This film I dreadful circumstances fate has many Japanese films screened at the 36th Toronto International that torture scene longer,” but the made for my four-year-old daughter.” handed him. Left by his detestable Film Festival held from September 8 to 18. Photo courtesy of TIFF film’s sponsors wouldn’t allow it. Far from being a mere feel-good parents to run a meagre boat-rental This made the audience laugh again. movie, Kore-eda has pulled together business, Sumida pursues his ambi - dream” and “Ganbare!” (“Don’t give but unlike the graphic horror films Innocent and thoughtful, Kiseki a story and performances that res - tion to have no ambition. Even in the up!”). for which Sono is known, ( Suicide (“ I Wish ”) is a film that shows growth. onate deep in the mind. Not simply face of his endlessly sullen mood and Sumida just happens to bump Club , 2001; Exte , 2007; Cold Fish “This is my seventh time at TIFF,” happy or sad or nostalgic, Kiseki is an hostile rebuffs, his adoring classmate into criminals and psychopaths with 2010), Himizu emphasizes the story said writer-director Hirokazu Kore- irresistibly satisfying portrayal of Chazawa (Fumi Nikaido) hounds improbable frequency, and the film rather than the gory. For their perfor - children beginning to make sense of Sumida with her refrains, “Have a depicts a certain degree of brutality, mances, Shota and Fumi won best See TIFF P. 10 what life holds in store for them. .