Wednesday March 28th 2012
Japan 2008 126 minutes
Director: Yojiro Takita
Starring: Masahiro Motoki, Ryoko Hirosue, Tsutomu Yamazaki.

The hero of the story is a talented young cellist who loses his job when his orchestra is disbanded. He returns with his wife from Tokyo to his small home-town, determined to make a fresh start living in the house of his recently deceased mother. Looking for work, he replies to a classified advert, assuming that the title ‘Departures’ implies a career in the travel industry. The reality is a very different type of work, but he accepts it and gradually comes to see its value and importance. Winner of many awards, it is a delightfully produced film which gives some fascinating insights into Japanese life and culture.