Akai Hashi no shitano Nuruimizu (2001)
Based on two stories by Yo Henmi
Scinario: Motofumi Tomikawa
Daisuke Tengan
Shohei Imamura
Release date: November 3, 2001
Running time: 90 min.
Koji Yakusho: Yosuke Sasano
Misa Shimizu: Saeko Aizawa
Mitsuko Baisho: Mitsu Aizawa
Sumiko Sakamoto: Masako Yamada
The shooting started in Tokyo on October 18, 2000, with a scene where Yosuke (Koji Yakusho) visits the homeless people living along the River Sumida.
From October 25 to mid-December, the film was shot in Himi City.
The film was nominated for the 54th Cannes Film festival competition and was shown on May 19, one night before the Festival was closed.
Koji Yakusho who attended the Festival with Misa Shimizu said that quite often there was a peal of laughter during the showing of the film!
Yosuke has been laid off. His wife has given up on him and he's living through on the streets of Tokyo, constantly looking for work. He hears an interesting story from Taro, a homeless wanderer.
It is about a gold Buddhist statue which Taro stole from a temple in Kyoto and hid in a house by a red bridge in a town on the Noto Peninsla of the Japan Sea. Another clue is that there are trumpet flowers at the entrance of the house.
After Taro's sudden death, Yosuke recalls the story of the Buddhist statue and decides to go and find it. Upon reaching the town he is in a supermarket when he spots a woman shoplifting. The woman turns out to be Saeko, granddaughter of Mitsu, who both live in the house by the red bridge. After Saeko leaves the scene, Yosuke notices an earring in a pool of water where Saeko was standing.
Yosuke tracks down Saeko and gives her back her earring. Then he encounters the mystery of Saeko's water. Yosuke gets a job with some fishermen and decides to stay on the town. He gradually becomes obsessed with Saeko and her mysterious water.
Gradually, Saeko's long suffering from her water condition begins to heal with Yosuke's attention to it. The volume slowly decreases. Yosuke becomes skeptical and then eventually jealous.
Another acquaintance from the streets of Tokyo, Gen, has also heard Taro's story. He arrives in town and asks Mitsu what she knows about the long-missing golden treasure. It turns out that long ago, Mitsu and Taro were in love, and Taro carried his love to the grave. Mitsu has waited in vain for Taro to return....
Koji Yakusho was awarded the Best Actor Award at the 2001 Chicago Film Festival!
