Kayoko Kishimoto

Who’d have expected a Japanese TV host and comedian to turn to such poignant filmmaking? Winner of the Golden Lion, Fireworks has proven to be one of Takeshi Kitano’s best films: a masterpiece of sublime simplicity and staccato force, combating unsparing violence with bare sentimentality.

Japanese auteur Takeshi Kitano pays homage to both The Wizard of Oz and Chaplin’s The Kid in this hypnotic, heart-warming drama. Kitano clashes the tough guy yakuza image of his titular character with the bittersweet, yearning naiveté of childhood. Joe Hisaishi’s score is, as ever, extraordinary!