Director Gen Takahashi + Cinematographer Philip Harder Attending
In 1940, Masaaki Takaoka works as a teacher in the agricultural division at a youth training institute. Although Japan’s defeat seems immanent, all of Masaaki’s students are drafted in a futile last-ditch effort. In an attempt to give the young men some hope, he makes everyone promise that they will all meet again under the cherry blossoms upon their safe return. Consumed by sadness over the fate of his students, Masaaki devotes the next 30 years of his life to develop a new species of cherry blossoms that could thrive in any climate in remembrance of his students.
Director's Bio
Gen Takahashi started his filmmaking career in 1984. Since his directorial debut in 1991, Gen has directed a total of 12 feature films. These include Charon, the critically acclaimed Confessions of a Dog, GOTH (released in Canada and the UK), and Court of Zeus. His most recent Yoko the Cherry Blossom was released nationwide in Japan to rave reviews and has screened in multiple international film festivals.