Mother - 32nd HKIFF

This is a very crafty piece of work by Japanese director, Yoji Yamada, who is at an age of 80 and still producing new film every now and then. Before get into the details, there are a rather disappointing chapter happened during the first screening of the film (which also happened to the opening night of this year HKIFF), highlighted by my instructor/HK film critic's, Shu kei blog. I don't need to elaborate here except the fact I feel as offended as him, if not by the lack of respective to cinema, as an art form, as a culture which should be treated much more than a form of instant entertainment.

The film itself was about how an ordinary family's life had changed amid the time of world war II. It is probably the second film/doco I watched in this year film festival that deal with similar issues (the other one, My Neighbours & Their Japanese Ghosts, was done by a young Chinese director), yet with from a different perspective (i.e. Chinese vs. Japanese). Always subtle on feelings, so warm and strong yet not overly emotional; the relationship/bonding between the protagonist and her 2 daughters was so tighly held until almost the end of the film, when tears would burst eventually after so many tender scenes.
Asano Tadanobu's character, as the student of protagonist's husband was probably a welcome one amid all the difficulties which the family was facing during the war time. Perhaps Yamada always deal with the inner feeling of male, in particular their affection to their love one without much disclosure of it. Aasno's character appeared to be better treated here. Some said Asano did not fit in such role well as a result of his cult status, yet as his character developed later on in the film, it seems that he handled the role better.

If there is any words that would describe this feeling, I guess it would be 細水長流.