Ashigara-san
(“Ashigara-san”)- Director: IIDA Motoharu
2002 Japanese Subtitled in - Color Video 73 min
Production Company:
Producer: IIDA Motoharu
Photography: IIDA Motoharu
Editing: IIDA Motoharu
Music: UMEZU Kazutoki
Contact: “Ashigara-san” Screening Network
c/o Iida Motoharu 2-5-9 Oooka, Minami-ku,
Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 232-0061 JAPAN
Phone: 81-45-743-9366
Fax: 81-45-743-9366
E-mail: motoharu@mse.biglobe.ne.jp
URL: www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~ashigara/
[Synopsis] “Ashigara-san” (Mr. Ashigara) is a homeless man who has been living on the streets for more than 20 years. He eats food that he finds in garbage bags. He does not talk much, and he does not associate with others. One day the director saw him smiling and decided that he would like to get to know Ashigara-san better. That is when he started filming Ashigara-san. He listened to Ashigara-san’s words and drew close to him over changing situations. During the 3 years of filming, a unique sense of trust has developed between them, which led to unexpected changes in Ashigara-san’s life. Watching Ashigara-san as he begins a new life gives us hope and makes us smile. This film quietly asks us many questions, such as, “What is life?,” “What is hope?,” and “What is the connection between people?”
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IIDA Motoharu
IIDA Motoharu was born in 1973. From 1996, he started helping homeless people as a volunteer in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Currently he is a freelance filmmaker. This is his first independent feature documentary. |