"Kikujiro No Nastu" film screening at The Japan Foundation, 5A Ring Road, Lajpat Nagar IV > 6:30pm on 13th September 2011

Time : 6:30 pm

Entry : Free

Place : The Japan Foundation, 5A Ring Road, Lajpat Nagar IV, New Delhi - 110024

Venue Info : www.jfindia.org.in | Map | Events |  Nearest Metro Station - 'Moolchand'
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Event Details : 'Kikujiro No Nastu' Japanese film screening.

Its summer vacation but third grader Masao has nothing to look forward to as his friends have all gone away and even the soccer club is on holiday. The only task Masao has is to write in his picture dairy. Masao’s father died soon after he was born and his mother, who he has never seen except in photographs is working somewhere far away. After his grandmother leaves for work Masao decides to go on an adventure to Toyohashi city in Aiichi prefecture the town where his mother lives. Packing his picture dairy and summer vacation homework in his knapsack and with his allowance in hand Masao leaves home.
Kikojiro has never had a serious job his life. Straight living doesn’t suit him. Life never works the way we plan it.
If the wind ever changes he’ll have a life people will envy but Kikojiro needs capital to realize his dream. With no such capital in hand, he lives on what his wife makes. By chance Kikojiro accompanies Masao on his odyssey to find his mother. You don’t have anything else to do expect loaf around so go with him are his wife’s words. She gives them 50,000 yen (approx. $400). With money in his hand Kikujiro starts to think. Masao on his odyssey to find his mother. “You don’t have anything else to do except loaf around, so go with him,” are his wife’s words. She gives them 50,000 yen(approx. $400). With money in his hand, Kikujiro starts to think. Masao has no one to rely on. Even though Kikujiro’s face is far from friendly and his language very bad, Masao decides to go with him.
Soon after their departure, Masao finds himself at the bicycle racetrack where Kikujiro hits the jackpot with
Masao’s innocent guesses. But ambition to multiply the fortune ends and not only do they lose all the money they won; they also lose their original stake. Kikujiro goes to drown his sorrows, but during his absence, Masao is nearly molested by a “dangerous man”.
Kikujiro grabs money from the pervert and they start hitchhiking. After much run around, they miraculously
reach their destination. But when they come to the address, there is a different name plate on the house. As
Masao watches from a distance, a little girl and her parents come out of the house. Kikujiro remembers a glass angel bell he took from a couple of Harley bikers. He gave it to Masao. “Your mother moved away but left this for you. She wanted you to have it when you came. If you’re in trouble, ring this and an angel will come to help you.”
Masao rings the bell, but no angel appears. “If this is how it turns out, we might as well have fun,” thinks Kikujiro.
On the way back to Tokyo, Kikujiro and Masao have many adventures and a happy time passes equally for
both of them. Kikujiro takes them to an old folks home. He sees an old woman sitting apart from other women.
Her face is shadowed by the same loneliness shared by Masao’s mother, the loneliness of a mother who has
abandoned her child. Without a word to her, Kikujiro leaves the old-folks home. Summer draws to an end and it is time for farewells. As Masao is about to run off to his home he asks,” By the way mister, what is your name?”
The man replies, “It’s Kikujiro, damnit.”


Notes :
Director Takeshi Kitano is famous for his prize-winning (1997 Venice International Film Festival: Golden Lion Winner) film “HANABI”.
This film was written, directed and edited by Takeshi Kitano.
Kitano plays out this delightful story with his unusual creative technique, which made “Kikujiro” one of the best loved films at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.

Year : 1999

Duration : 121 min.

Directed, Written & Edited by : Takeshi Kitano

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