Mori, The Artist's Habitat

Mori, The Artist's Habitat

2DCS/ES15
Director:OKITA Schūichi
Cast:YAMAZAKI Tsutomu, KIKI Kirin, KASE Ryō
Premiere:23. February 2022
Length:99 minutes
Genre:Drama, Biographical, Psychological

Director: OKITA Schūichi  •  Cast: YAMAZAKI Tsutomu, KIKI Kirin, KASE Ryō

The film tells the story of an eccentric yet recognised artist, Morikazu Kumagai who never left his own garden in the last 30 years of his life. His paintings in the nihonga style may at a glance seem naïve or even childishly simple. He uses oil on canvas to depict mostly cats, insects and flowers. To finds his inspiration, he ventures into the nooks and crannies of his garden every day, watching nature. His wife, played by Kirin Kiki, cares about everything involving the house. His house is a busy place, with both neighbours and visitors from afar coming and going, and everybody really respects the artist. A high-rise building to be newly built in the neighbourhood threatens to cast a shadow over most of his garden. As a result, sunlight would only hit the little lake that he dug in the stubborn earth for years. How will the modern age affect the man who, in his isolation, has no idea of the existence of high-speed trains, but knows which foot ants tread with first?

The film was directed by Okita Shuichi, the author of films that Eigasai featured earlier: The Mohican Comes Home and A Story of Yonosuke.

2018 JAPAN CUTS, CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Performance in Film (Kiki Kirin)

2018 Beijing International Film Festival

2018 Far East Film Festival

© 2017 “Mori, The Artist's Habitat” Film Partners

Length: 99 min

Year: 2018
Local premiere date: 23. February 2022
World premiere date: 19. May 2018

Country of origin:

  • Japan

Director: OKITA Schūichi  •  Cast: YAMAZAKI Tsutomu, KIKI Kirin, KASE Ryō

The film tells the story of an eccentric yet recognised artist, Morikazu Kumagai who never left his own garden in the last 30 years of his life. His paintings in the nihonga style may at a glance seem naïve or even childishly simple. He uses oil on canvas to depict mostly cats, insects and flowers. To finds his inspiration, he ventures into the nooks and crannies of his garden every day, watching nature. His wife, played by Kirin Kiki, cares about everything involving the house. His house is a busy place, with both neighbours and visitors from afar coming and going, and everybody really respects the artist. A high-rise building to be newly built in the neighbourhood threatens to cast a shadow over most of his garden. As a result, sunlight would only hit the little lake that he dug in the stubborn earth for years. How will the modern age affect the man who, in his isolation, has no idea of the existence of high-speed trains, but knows which foot ants tread with first?

The film was directed by Okita Shuichi, the author of films that Eigasai featured earlier: The Mohican Comes Home and A Story of Yonosuke.

2018 JAPAN CUTS, CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Performance in Film (Kiki Kirin)

2018 Beijing International Film Festival

2018 Far East Film Festival

© 2017 “Mori, The Artist's Habitat” Film Partners

Year: 2018
Local premiere date: 23. February 2022
World premiere date: 19. May 2018

Country of origin:

  • Japan