Japanese Story | |
---|---|
Directed by | Sue Brooks |
Written by | Alison Tilson |
Produced by | Sue Maslin |
Starring | Toni Collette Gotaro Tsunashima |
Cinematography | Ian Baker |
Edited by | Jill Bilcock |
Music by | Elizabeth Drake |
Distributed by | Samuel Goldwyn Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 110 minutes |
Country | Australia |
Languages | English Japanese |
Budget | $5,740,000 [1] |
Box office | $4,050,497 [2] |
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. [3]
Sandy Edwards (played by Toni Collette) is a director in a company that designs geological software in Perth, Western Australia. Her business partner manipulates her into agreeing to act as a guide for a Japanese businessman visiting mines in the Pilbara desert, in hopes that he will purchase the software. When Hiromitsu Tachibana (Gotaro Tsunashima ) arrives, he treats Sandy like a chauffeur, and he seems more intent on self-discovery in the wilderness than on buying computer software. At first, Sandy is angered by his reserved, demanding demeanor. On their first journey into the desert, Hiromitsu, feeling insecure, talks more on his phone with friends in Japan than he does to Sandy. He also insists that she drive farther than planned. The terrain proves too much for the pair's vehicle, which becomes bogged down in the sand. After a series of desperate attempts to release the vehicle, including digging a dead man anchor, their winch burns out. Sandy wants to use Hiromitsu's phone to call people who can rescue them, but Hiromitsu refuses. This forces them to spend the night stranded together. The next day, Hiromitsu, conscious that his refusal had placed them in danger, wakes up much earlier than Sandy and builds a track of sticks over which they can drive out of the sand. The manoeuvre is successful. Now that they are on the road again, the ice breaks and a friendship starts between them that, in isolated surroundings uninterrupted by their work, grows quickly and honestly. Later, at a motel, they have sex. Only after does Sandy learn that Hiromitsu has a wife and children in Japan.
On another journey to scenic spots, Hiromitsu and Sandy share a quiet moment and kiss each other, eventually having sex again. Afterwards, Sandy runs into a swimming hole nearby. Hiromitsu follows her, diving into the shallow water before she can warn him, and disappears. Sandy frantically calls for him and, after a moment, his lifeless body resurfaces. In shock at his sudden death, Sandy struggles to deal with the situation, dragging his body into their vehicle and carefully washing it before driving for hours to 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, Yukiko, and Sandy tries to understand how Hiromitsu's life had ended before she had understood his place in hers.
Japanese Story grossed $4,520,000 at the box office in Australia. [5]
Japanese Story received mixed to positive reviews, currently holding an approval rating of 68% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Award | Category | Subject | Result |
---|---|---|---|
AACTA Award (2003 AFI Awards) | Best Film | Sue Maslin | Won |
Best Direction | Sue Brooks | Won | |
Best Original Screenplay | Alison Tilson | Won | |
Best Actor | Gotaro Tsunashima | Nominated | |
Best Actress | Toni Collette | Won | |
Best Cinematography | Ian Baker | Won | |
Best Editing | Jill Bilcock | Won | |
Best Original Music Score | Elizabeth Drake | Won | |
Best Sound | Livia Ruzic | Won | |
Peter Grace | Won | ||
Peter Smith | Won | ||
Best Production Design | Paddy Reardon | Nominated | |
AWGIE Award | Best Writing in a Feature Film - Original | Alison Tilson | Won |
Bangkok International Film Festival | Golden Kinnaree Award for Best Film | Sue Brooks | Nominated |
Chicago International Film Festival | Gold Hugo - New Directors Competition | Nominated | |
FCCA Awards | Best Film | Sue Maslin | Won |
Best Director | Sue Brooks | Won | |
Best Original Screenplay | Alison Tilson | Nominated | |
Best Female Actor | Toni Collette | Won | |
Best Music Score | Elizabeth Drake | Won | |
Best Editing | Jill Bilcock | Nominated | |
Best Cinematography | Ian Baker | Won | |
Inside Film Awards | Best Feature Film | Sue Maslin | Won |
Best Direction | Sue Brooks | Won | |
Best Script | Alison Tilson | Nominated | |
Best Actor | Gotaro Tsunashima | Nominated | |
Best Actress | Toni Collette | Won | |
Best Cinematography | Ian Baker | Won | |
Best Editing | Jill Bilcock | Nominated | |
Best Music | Elizabeth Drake | Nominated | |
Miami International Film Festival | FIPRESCI Prize | Sue Brooks | Won |
Satellite Award | Best Actress | Toni Collette | Nominated |
Screen Music Awards, Australia | Best Feature Film Score | Elizabeth Drake | Won |
Toni Collette is an Australian actress, producer and singer. Known for her work in television and independent films, she has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and five AACTA Awards, with nominations for an Academy Award and a Tony Award.
Maborosi, known in Japan as Maboroshi no Hikari, is a 1995 Japanese drama film by director Hirokazu Kore-eda starring Makiko Esumi, Tadanobu Asano, and Takashi Naito. It is based on a novel by Teru Miyamoto.
Kikujiro is a 1999 Japanese road drama film written, directed and co-edited by Takeshi Kitano, who also stars in the film with Yusuke Sekiguchi. Its score was composed by Joe Hisaishi. The film was entered into the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.
The Pallbearer is a 1996 American romantic comedy film co-written and directed by Matt Reeves in his directorial debut and starring David Schwimmer, Gwyneth Paltrow, Toni Collette, Michael Vartan, Michael Rapaport, and Barbara Hershey. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
8+1⁄2 Women is a 1999 comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Greenaway and starring John Standing, Matthew Delamere, and Vivian Wu. An international co-production of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany, it was entered into the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.
The Sentimental Bloke is a 1918 Australian silent film based on the 1915 verse novel The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke by C. J. Dennis. Produced and directed by Raymond Longford, the film stars Arthur Tauchert, Gilbert Emery, and Lottie Lyell, who also co-wrote the film with Longford.
Black Rain is a 1989 Japanese drama film by director Shōhei Imamura, based on the novel of the same name by Masuji Ibuse. The story centers on the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and its effect on a surviving family.
Sandakan No. 8 is a 1974 Japanese drama film directed by Kei Kumai, starring Yoko Takahashi, Komaki Kurihara and Kinuyo Tanaka. It was nominated for the 1975 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It also became one of the highest-grossing Japanese films at the Chinese box office, where it generated box office admissions in the hundreds of millions.
Onna no Koyomi (女の暦) is a 1954 Japanese film directed by Seiji Hisamatsu based on the short story collection A Calendar by the Japanese woman writer Sakae Tsuboi. It was entered into the 1955 Cannes Film Festival.
Faces of Love International Film Festival is a festival first based in Moscow, then in 2005 moved to Sochi, Russia. It is a sister festival of the biggest film festival in Russia, Kinotavr. Faces of Love is a special interest film festival highlighting films about love.
Lilian's Story is a 1996 Australian film based on a 1985 novel by Australian author Kate Grenville, which was inspired by the life of Bea Miles, a famous Sydney nonconformist. The film stars Ruth Cracknell and Toni Collette as Lilian and her younger self, respectively, alongside Barry Otto. Cracknell had been a Shakespearean actress of the stage for many years.
Emily Wachtel is a producer and screenwriter. She originated and produced The Last Movie Stars, the recently released six-part documentary film which chronicles the lives and careers of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The film was directed by Ethan Hawke and executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Wachtel also co-wrote, produced and acted in the semi-autobiographical film Lucky Them starring Toni Collette, Thomas Haden Church, Johnny Depp, and Oliver Platt.
Hector and the Search for Happiness is a 2014 comedy-drama film directed by Peter Chelsom and co-written by Chelsom with Tinker Lindsay and Maria von Heland, based on François Lelord's novel of the same name. The film stars Simon Pegg as Hector and Rosamund Pike as Clara.
Miss You Already is a 2015 British romantic comedy-drama film directed by Catherine Hardwicke and written by Morwenna Banks, based on Banks' 2013 radio drama Goodbye. The film stars Toni Collette, Drew Barrymore, Dominic Cooper, Paddy Considine, Tyson Ritter, Frances de la Tour, and Jacqueline Bisset. It was screened in the Gala Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.
Alice Bell is an Australian screenwriter and director. She has written for Australian TV dramas, including The Beautiful Lie, The Slap, Spirited, Rush and Puberty Blues. She has directed music videos for artists including Silverchair, Toni Collette and the Finish, Jimmy Barnes, Little Birdy, and Missy Higgins. In 2007, she won the ARIA Award for Best Video, with co-director Paul Goldman, for Silverchair's "Straight Lines".
Please Stand By is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Ben Lewin and based on the 2008 short play of the same name by Michael Golamco, who also wrote the screenplay. The film stars Dakota Fanning, Toni Collette, Alice Eve, River Alexander and Patton Oswalt, and was distributed by Magnolia Pictures.
Dream Horse is a 2020 sports comedy-drama film directed by Euros Lyn from a screenplay by Neil McKay. The film stars Toni Collette, Damian Lewis, Owen Teale, Joanna Page, Karl Johnson, Steffan Rhodri, Anthony O'Donnell, Nicholas Farrell, and Siân Phillips, and follows the true story of Dream Alliance, a horse that raced in the Welsh Grand National. It had previously been the subject of the documentary, Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance.
Sue Maslin is an Australian screen producer. She is best known for her feature films Road to Nhill (1997) Japanese Story (2003) and The Dressmaker (2015).