Both are about life's difficulties in an isolated island.
The naked island: The film is set over the course of a year on a small island in the Seto Inland Sea. Inhabiting the island is a family of four; a husband, wife and two sons. Being the only occupants on the island they survive solely by farming. Their daily repetitions are illustrated with the same poetic majesty as the rituals performed by Zen Buddhist monks. The family’s simple lifestyle exemplifies an aesthetically harmonious quality, which is presented beautifully through the films spacious cinematography, rhythmic editing and deceptively simple sound design.
The naked island: The film is set over the course of a year on a small island in the Seto Inland Sea. Inhabiting the island is a family of four; a husband, wife and two sons. Being the only occupants on the island they survive solely by farming. Their daily repetitions are illustrated with the same poetic majesty as the rituals performed by Zen Buddhist monks. The family’s simple lifestyle exemplifies an aesthetically harmonious quality, which is presented beautifully through the films spacious cinematography, rhythmic editing and deceptively simple sound design.
Hideko Takamine brilliantly played the role of a school teacher on a typical remote island community in south Japan during an increasingly militarist government. As was customary at the time, the same teacher saw to their students' education from primary to high school, forming a lifetime bond.
Director Keisuke Kinoshita's camera work is nothing less than genius, beautifully portraying the transitions of seasons from year to year. The water, sand, and dust textures are so distinct that you almost forget that it was filmed in black and white.
Director Keisuke Kinoshita's camera work is nothing less than genius, beautifully portraying the transitions of seasons from year to year. The water, sand, and dust textures are so distinct that you almost forget that it was filmed in black and white.
