2007, 20 minutes, hdv, color, NPO Onomichi. Roles: writer, director, editor, narrator. Executive producer: Osamu Otani, Camera men: Mitsunori Nagao, Masami Sano & Fumio Horikawa Sound editor: Zoe Gordini, Sound supervisor: Dennis Burke. Music composed by Dennis Burke Synopsis:
Onomichi is a town of tradition and temples located in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan on the Seto Island Sea coast. Here, 25 temples and 15,000 people are scattered in a labyrinth of narrow roads, dark alleys and steep pathways that zigzag up the mountainside rising out from the sea.
"A Sense of Onomichi" poetically explores the essence, or spirit of this town, which has captured the imagination of great artists from all parts of Japan and the world for many centuries. This quality allows us to reflect on life and death, and the continuation of spirit. The main characters in Yasujiro Ozu's classic film, "Tokyo Story", were from Onomichi and filming was done in the town. The famous poet/writer, Fumiko Hayashi ("Vagabond's Song" and "Floating Clouds") lived here for part of her life. Nobuhiko Obayashi has made several popular movies including "Ten Kousei" and "Futari" in Onomichi.
A temple bell rings at 6:00 A.M. in the town every morning. It's deep sound has rung through Onomichi for the past 12 centuries. My maternal grandmother was born in Onomichi in 1898 and heard this same bell ring each day.
A temple bell. A full moon. Years pass.
Nominated for Golden Sheaf Award at the Yorkton Film and Video Festival, 2008.
