Tip-off
A bittersweet coming of age in rural Japan
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor
"Firefly Dreams," a Japanese film receiving its U.S. premiere tomorrow as part of the Hawai'i International Film Festival, illuminates the subtleties of familial relationships, pitting the young and the old, in a shifting cultural climate.
It is a rites-of-passage story that tests prevailing traditions of family obligation, changing societal behavior and contrasting lifestyles.
The focus is on Naomi (Maho Ukai), who might be construed to be a rebel and whose life of freedom, adventure and free expression takes a turn for more meaningful, albeit stressful, circumstances. She leaves her little town for a tranquil country existence with her aunt, uncle and teenage cousin. All because of her parent's divorce.
A town girl in the country is a fish out of water, but Naomi discovers her mission when she is given the responsibility to care for the ailing Mrs. Koide (Yoshi Minami), who shares her values with the younger caregiver.
'Firefly Dreams'
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A film by John Williams
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At 6:30 p.m. tomorrow and 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Dole Cannery 8
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$7 ($6 for HIFF 'Ohana)
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528-HIFF (4433)
Naomi, curious about Mrs. Koide's past, finds her discoveries contributing to changes in her own attitudes about life. Not surprisingly, the older woman's values seem relevant in the lives of the younger generation, as Naomi discovers in her transformation from child to woman.
Ukai plays out the gradual changes with resolve, accepting her new experiences with grace and credibility. Minami is an endearing source of wisdom and savvy, seasoned by experience and time, shaping and influencing her younger cohort with reassuring ease.
The film, directed by John Williams, is a rich, atmospheric portrait of shifting attitudes and lifestyles in Japan. It's subtitled and is suitable for families.
