Abe Sada: Saigo no nanokakan

In a small village where nothing has changed in the last few decades, a film crew arrives to shoot a historical drama. So, along with actors, producers, makeup artists and all the rest from the crew, a lot of hustle and bustle rushes into the sleepy village. It turns into a historical battle field itself. Everybody gets involved in the action - the young and the old alike get dressed into period costumes and armed with fake swords, suffer deadly wounds. The script also features an episode of ritualistic sacrifice and the offering is to be the village farmers' pride, a bull called Julius Caesar. The armies of defenders and enemies of the ritualistic animal clash at such an epic scale that it does feel like a massacre took place. As they say, blind Saturday is upon us and people do lose their minds...

The film tells the story of a young man and his pursuit of true happiness in the modern world. Captured with his own hands, using some of the very devices that epitomize modern day life, he shares his breathtaking journey of self-discovery and shared challenges. His intimate, personal story comes to life on the big screen in a way that will both captivate and resonate with every one of us.

It is a year since the death of an inspirational theatre director and teacher, and his widow is struggling to come to terms with her loss. A group of close friends, many of whom are or were actors, come to spend the weekend with her to offer their support and to celebrate his memory in an entertaining and moving performance before they scatter his ashes in the garden. The events of the day trigger different responses from all of them and bring to the fore their dreams, disappointments and unfulfilled relationships; in coming together they attempt to find consolation and some kind of resolution to the complications of their own lives. The film is both a meditation on love and loss and an evocation of the joys and sadnesses of later life.