Shadow of Fire

In a half-burnt Japanese tavern, a widowed woman makes a living by selling her body and meals. A war orphan sneaks into the house like a hungry cat, and a young demobilised soldier comes to feed, promising to look for work. The three begin a semblance of family life. But the traumas of World War II take their toll and break up the trio.

Shot from the perspective of the resourceful but powerless child, the film follows the chaotic movement of the protagonists. Reminiscent of Kaneto Shindô's best work, Shadow of Fire pierces the fragile psyche of ordinary people shaken by their proximity to extreme violence. Final opus of the trilogy against the ravages of the Tsukamoto war, which manages to insinuate a glimmer of hope for the younger generation. Excessive, raw and sumptuous at the same time.


Fires on the Plain (BM15)

Nikkatsu / Japon / Mami Furukawa / m.furukawa@nikkatsu.co.jp