Himatsuri (Fire Festival)

Selected as one of the "Ten Best Films of the Year" by the Village Voice, Film Comment, and the Los Angeles Times, Himatsuri is an art film in every sense of the phrase: the imagery is profoundly beautiful, the action is sparse, and the story is enigmatic. Set in a contemporary Japanese fishing village, the film follows the spiritual struggle of Tatsuo, a fisherman-logger who refuses to sell his land to a local entrepreneur who wants to transform the natural beauty of the environment into a marine park. A walking contradiction, the ribald Tatsuo (admirably played by Kinya Kitaoji) feels a strong kinship with the "goddess of the mountains" as well as the natural elements; yet, at the same time, he scoffs at the local Japanese customs. During a torrential storm, Tatsuo receives a 'message' from the goddess which will resolve the warring elements at work in his soul. This resolution is nothing short of apocalyptic, and will shock (and most likely confuse) a number of viewers. Although the film is not rated, there is a fair amount of violence, nudity, and sexual situations. Recommended for libraries with strong art film collections.