Japanese Story
Encyclopedia
Japanese Story is a 2003
Australian
romantic drama film
directed by Sue Brooks. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard
section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival
.
) is a director
in a company designing geological software in Perth, Western Australia
. Her business partner manipulates her into acting as a guide for a Japanese businessman visiting mines in the Pilbara desert, in the hope that he will purchase her product. When Tachibana Hiromitsu (Gotaro Tsunashima) arrives, expecting her to carry his luggage and more intent on discovering himself in the wilderness than on buying computer software, Sandy is at first angered by his private but demanding nature. Hiromitsu, feeling insecure, speaks more frequently on his phone to friends in Japan than he does to the woman driving next to him, and insists that she drive deeper into the desert. The terrain becomes too much for the pair's vehicle which becomes bogged down. After a series of increasingly desperate attempts to release the vehicle, including digging a dead man anchor, their winch burns out, forcing them to spend the night stranded together. The next day Hiromitsu, conscious that his actions had placed them in danger, wakes early and builds a track over which they can drive out of the sand before Sandy wakes. Now that they are free, the ice breaks and a friendship starts between them that, in isolated surroundings uninterrupted by their lives, grows quickly and honestly. Sandy dreams of starting a sexual relationship. Sandy then learns that Hiromitsu has a wife and children in Japan.
Just as the relationship appears about to become physical Sandy takes off her shirt and runs into swimming hole, where Hiromitsu dives into shallow water before Sandy can warn him. When he resurfaces he is dead. In shock at Hiromitsu's sudden death, Sandy struggles with the necessities of the situation, dragging his body into their vehicle then carefully washing it before driving for hours to reach the nearest town. Back in Perth, Sandy cannot comprehend the violent end to her journey. Reality intrudes in the form of Hiromitsu's grieving widow, leaving Sandy attempting to understand how Hiromitsu's life had ended before she had understood his place in hers.
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
Australian
Cinema of Australia
Cinema of Australia, more commonly referred to as the Australian film industry, refers to the system of production, distribution, and exhibition of films in Australia. Film production commenced in Australia in 1906 with the production of The Story of the Kelly Gang, the earliest feature film made...
romantic drama film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Sue Brooks. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
section at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival
2003 Cannes Film Festival
The 2003 Cannes Film Festival started on May 14 and ran until May 25. The Palme d'Or went to the American film Elephant by Gus Van Sant.-Jury:* Patrice Chéreau, President * Aishwarya Rai * Meg Ryan * Karin Viard...
.
Plot
Sandy Edwards (played by Toni ColletteToni Collette
Antonia "Toni" Collette is an Australian actress and musician, known for her acting work on stage, television and film as well as a secondary career as the lead singer of the band Toni Collette & the Finish....
) is a director
Technical director
The Technical Director or Technical Manager is usually a senior technical person within a software company, film studio, theatrical company or television studio...
in a company designing geological software in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. Her business partner manipulates her into acting as a guide for a Japanese businessman visiting mines in the Pilbara desert, in the hope that he will purchase her product. When Tachibana Hiromitsu (Gotaro Tsunashima) arrives, expecting her to carry his luggage and more intent on discovering himself in the wilderness than on buying computer software, Sandy is at first angered by his private but demanding nature. Hiromitsu, feeling insecure, speaks more frequently on his phone to friends in Japan than he does to the woman driving next to him, and insists that she drive deeper into the desert. The terrain becomes too much for the pair's vehicle which becomes bogged down. After a series of increasingly desperate attempts to release the vehicle, including digging a dead man anchor, their winch burns out, forcing them to spend the night stranded together. The next day Hiromitsu, conscious that his actions had placed them in danger, wakes early and builds a track over which they can drive out of the sand before Sandy wakes. Now that they are free, the ice breaks and a friendship starts between them that, in isolated surroundings uninterrupted by their lives, grows quickly and honestly. Sandy dreams of starting a sexual relationship. Sandy then learns that Hiromitsu has a wife and children in Japan.
Just as the relationship appears about to become physical Sandy takes off her shirt and runs into swimming hole, where Hiromitsu dives into shallow water before Sandy can warn him. When he resurfaces he is dead. In shock at Hiromitsu's sudden death, Sandy struggles with the necessities of the situation, dragging his body into their vehicle then carefully washing it before driving for hours to reach the nearest town. Back in Perth, Sandy cannot comprehend the violent end to her journey. Reality intrudes in the form of Hiromitsu's grieving widow, leaving Sandy attempting to understand how Hiromitsu's life had ended before she had understood his place in hers.
Cast
- Toni ColletteToni ColletteAntonia "Toni" Collette is an Australian actress and musician, known for her acting work on stage, television and film as well as a secondary career as the lead singer of the band Toni Collette & the Finish....
- Sandy Edwards - Gotaro Tsunashima - Hiromitsu Tachibana
- Matthew DyktynskiMatthew DyktynskiMatthew Dyktynski is an Australian actor and comedian, graduating from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1992.Dyktinski has played lead roles on television series Shock Jock and Raw FM, and has appeared on The Man from Snowy River, Stingers, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Halifax f.p.,...
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