Haru’s Journey provides an insider’s look at Japanese culture through its themes of acceptance, endurance and familial commitment. It tells the story of elderly fisherman Tadao and his granddaughter Haru, who live in a small fishing village in Hokkaido. When Haru’s job disappears, she wants to take her stubborn grandfather to live in Tokyo where she will find more opportunities. But Tadao refuses to go to the capital, sparking a search for another family member who will share his life. Thus begins a road movie driven by family dynamics, as the two set out for Japan’s main island, Honshu, to see if one of Tadao’s siblings will look after him. First stop is his even more cantankerous older brother, Shiego, and their testy exchange reveals there’s more to Tadao’s selfishness than just old age. By contrast, selfless Haru takes on responsibility for the pair’s dwindling finances so their pilgrimage can continue… –IMDb
Kobayashi Masahiro (小林 政広 Kobayashi Masahiro?, born on January 6, 1954 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese film director. Masahiro Kobayashi was born on January 6, 1954 in Tokyo, Japan). He began his career as a folk singer, and then turned to scriptwriting. A great admirer of François Truffaut, he directed his first feature, Closing Time, in 1996 and in 1997 became the first Japanese filmmaker to win the Grand Prize at the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. In its wake, he founded Monkey Town Productions and made three films back to back which won prizes in three consecutive years at Cannes: Kaizokuban Bootleg Film (1999) and Man Walking on Snow (2001) in Un Certain Regard and Koroshi (2000) in the Directors’ Fortnight. In 2003, Perfect Education 5: Amazing Story, enchanted Locarno with a discreet love story set against a backdrop of solitude, snow and desolation. Screened in competition at Cannes in 2005, Bashing received critical acclaim and won the Grand Prix at Tokyo Filmex… read more
“Haru’s Journey” can be difficult at times due to the gradual pacing and to grandfather Tadao’s (Tatsuya Nakadai) obstinately and selfishly childish behavior. Nakadai’s performance, trying as the character… read review
