This is a short film presented recently at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. as part of a retrospective of this master filmmaker. It is a fable set in an isolated village where all but the first born are not allowed any prosperity in life. They can not inherit land and they can not marry and have children. They must only toil in the potato fields. This is a beautifully realized story of fickle gods and even an ornery old woman who will not tell anyone where the "Clever" mushrooms are. The acting is superb, the cinematography outstanding and the script fascinating.
Review of The Men of Tohoku
