简介：1997,75min.,colour,BETACAMSP,Stereo TheJapanFoundation,NorthFoundation,PandoraCo.,Ltd(Japan) SpecialthankstoHirokoKodjima scenario:A.Sokurov camera:A.Fedorov sound:S.Moshkov editor:L.Semenova “Myjourneytoyoursorrowfulcountrycannotfinish…evenhereinRussia. Ican'tpartwithfeelingswhichhavecapturedme…asifmysoulhadbeeninsearchofBeautyandKindness.Ifnot—whatforhaveIdeservedthisgift,thismeeting… Ihavearrivedinthetwilight.Thenoiseofthewindandmytirednessdidn'tletmefallasleep. Iwaslyingonthefloor,therewasasmalllampatmyhead,thebeddinghadbeenthrownoverthemat. Idon'tknowwhy,butIbegantothinkaboutthewar,andthescenesofunknownlifeappearedbeforemefromthepast…or,perhaps,fromthefuture;Somebody’schildren…somebody'smothers… Thesummerwaswarm… Thenthemorningcame,windy,coldandsunny…Iexaminedthehousecautiously.Itwasempty… Then,Iremember,Iturnedback,havingheardacreak. Itseemedshehadnotyetnoticedme…Idecidedtocomenearer. Icanrememberwellenough,howeverythingbecameinteresting:walls,utensils,wind,light,sounds—allherlife. WeagreedthatshewouldletmestaynearherallthetimeAllthehoursandminutesthatIcouldspendinheroldhouse.Isatnearherwithherpermission.Anditwasreallynecessary:Icouldcontem­platehertomyheart'scontent.” AlexanderSokurov(fromtheauthor'stexttothefilm) Amythaboutlostharmony,whichisalwayswithus,thoughweoftencannotfeelit,isfurtherdevelopedinthisfilmbyAlexanderSokurov.Thematerialusedhereisconcreteand,atfirstsight,quitefitforTV.Thewholeworkisunhurriedanddetailedreportfromanoldsolitaryhouse,lostinthemountains,inthevillageofAska,prefectureNara,Japan,whereanoldwoman,whosenameisUmenoMatshueshi,livesalone.Butfilmmaker'screativetaskisquiteopposedtotheTVinformationstream.Itisnotonlybecausethissubject,thispersoncouldn'tbeofanyinterestforanyTVcrewinanycountry(andleastofall,perhaps,inmodernJapan). Sokurov'scameradoesn'twatchthischaracter,doesn’taskanyquestions,doesn’tsurpriseher,butextractsuninterruptedpoeticalimageoutofthetrivialdetailsofthisphysicalreality,outofthisextinctlifeanddailyroutine.Theimageisepicandlyricalatthesametime.RefinedsimplicityofJapaneselandscape,interior,aseriesofportraitsarenotarepresentationof“couleurlocal,”butonlythesignofidealtechniqueoftheidealdescription,allowingtoenterthislife.Thewoman,whoremainssilentthroughoutthewholefilm,cookingandeating,kindlingthefireandsewing,givingalmsandcombingherhairbeforeus,recitesinthefinalpoemasaprayer:artlessandsorrowfultankuaboutloneliness,abouttheconstancyoflossesandgainings.Sokurovshootsthisunexpectedstrokeinhispersonage'sportraitasalyricalcodaofhiswork.…