Dearest (2012 Film)
Dearest (Japanese: あなたへ, Hepburn: Anata e) is a 2012 Japanese drama film directed by Yasuo Furuhata. The film features Ken Takakura in his final leading role before his death in 2014. It was produced and distributed by Toho and released in Japan on August 25, 2012.
Plot
Eiji Shimakura (Ken Takakura) is a prison officer working in the Hokuriku region. Following the death of his wife, Yoko (Yuko Tanaka), Eiji discovers a letter she left behind. In the letter, she requests that her ashes be scattered in the sea near her hometown of Nagasaki. Seeking to understand her final wishes and the reasons behind this request, Eiji travels across Japan to Nagasaki in a custom-built camper van.
Cast
The film features an ensemble cast, including:
- Ken Takakura as Eiji Shimakura
- Yuko Tanaka as Yoko Shimakura
- Koichi Sato as Shinichi Nabara
- Tsuyoshi Kusanagi as Yuji Tamiya
- Kimiko Yo as Taeko Hamasaki
- Haruka Ayase as Naoko Hamasaki
- Takahiro Miura as Takuya Oura
- Hideji Otaki as Goro Oura
- Kyozo Nagatsuka as Kazuo Tsukamoto
- Mieko Harada as Kumiko Tsukamoto
- Tadanobu Asano as a police officer
- Takeshi Kitano as Teruo Sugino
Production and Release
Dearest was directed by Yasuo Furuhata, with a screenplay by Seichi Ichiko, Takeshi Aoshima, and Furuhata. The film has a runtime of 111 minutes. Following its domestic release, the film was screened at several international film festivals, including the 36th Montreal World Film Festival in 2012 and the 32nd Hawaii International Film Festival.
Awards
The film received recognition at several Japanese film awards:
- 37th Hochi Film Awards (2012): Best Actor for Ken Takakura.
- 36th Japan Academy Prize (2013): Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Hideji Otaki and Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Kimiko Yo.
