Monday, August 10, 2009

Movie - Departures

It is wonderful when work and pastimes combine. I am a movie fan, especially of "art films" and recently learned abut the movie Departures. It won an Academy Award for best foreign language film, and is set in Japan. Here is a summary from the films web site:

Spotting a Help Wanted ad featuring the word “departures,” he is excited about the prospect of trying a new career in the travel industry. He arrives for the interview, curiously eyeing the coffins lining the back wall of the office. The company owner, Sasaki (Tsutomu Yamazaki), hires him on the spot, with only a cursory glance at his resume. Daigo finally ventures to ask what is involved, exactly, and is stunned to learn what he has gotten himself into: the ceremonial “encoffination” of corpses prior to cremation. Sasaki urges him to take the job, proffering large amounts of cash. He’s getting older, and needs someone to carry on the tradition.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to see the film while it is playing at Sundance Cinemas in Madison.

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