Ashigara-san

Director: IIDA Motoharu

2002

Japanese

Subtitled in -

Color

Video

73 min

Production Company: Producer: IIDA Motoharu Photography: IIDA Motoharu Editing: IIDA Motoharu Music: UMEZU Kazutoki

Contact: “Ashigara-san” Screening Network c/o Iida Motoharu 2-5-9 Oooka, Minami-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 232-0061 JAPAN Phone: 81-45-743-9366 Fax: 81-45-743-9366 E-mail: motoharu@mse.biglobe.ne.jp URL: www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~ashigara/

[Synopsis] “Ashigara-san” (Mr. Ashigara) is a homeless man who has been living on the streets for more than 20 years. He eats food that he finds in garbage bags. He does not talk much, and he does not associate with others. One day the director saw him smiling and decided that he would like to get to know Ashigara-san better. That is when he started filming Ashigara-san. He listened to Ashigara-san’s words and drew close to him over changing situations. During the 3 years of filming, a unique sense of trust has developed between them, which led to unexpected changes in Ashigara-san’s life. Watching Ashigara-san as he begins a new life gives us hope and makes us smile. This film quietly asks us many questions, such as, “What is life?,” “What is hope?,” and “What is the connection between people?”