A Japanese movie The End of Summer was screened under weekly film screenings at Abhirang Auditorium, Bharat Bhavan here on Sunday. Organised by Chhavi series of classical cinema, Bharat Bhavan, the film evoked a good response.
Directed by noted Japanese film director Yusujiro Ozu. the film was first released in 1961. The movie cast Ganjiro Nakamura, Setsuko Hara and Yoko Tsukasa.
The End of Summer entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival. The film was his penultimate; only An Autumn Afternoon (1962) followed it. Ganjiro Nakamura plays the patriarch of the Kohayagawa family, who runs a sake brewery company. Setsuko Hara, Michiyo Aratama and Yoko Tsukasa play his daughter-in-law and daughters. Chishu Ryu, a long-time collaborator of Ozu, has a small cameo as a farmer towards the end of the film. Most of the movie was shot in Kyoto.
The film carries forward the lives of the Kohayagawa family, where each wants to do the best that he can for the family. The widower father Manbel often visits an old flame in Kyoto, causing concern n the family that he is not paying attention to the sake making company that is going through financial troubles. The family also struggles to find matches for their youngest daughters. With a venerating tone, this film is a reflection on old age, traditional values verses modern influence and mortality.
The weekly film screenings on Sunday at Bharat Bhavan has become a plan-out event for the Bhopalites. As the film screenings every week is getting satisfactory response, the movie on Sunday also received a good response and the Bhopalites enjoyed watching it.