A Labor of Love, Nurtured for Seven Years

In 2011, director Gakuryu Ishii released 'Is There Anyone Alive Out There?,' his first feature film in ten years. Shifting from his visually driven style to dialogue-driven narratives, he revealed a new facet of his talent. 'Shanidar no Hana' is the culmination of seven years of dedicated work, a project he has nurtured throughout this period.

At the Shanidar cave site in Iraq, fossilized flowers were discovered alongside buried bones. This suggests that even Neanderthals, long considered primitive, mourned their dead and offered flowers. Inspired by this discovery, which is said to mark the 'moment the human 'heart' emerged,' director Ishii has crafted this film, depicting the forms of men and women, and the nature of love, within an allegorical setting.

Go Ayano, at the height of his popularity, plays the botanist Otaki, while Haru Kuroki portrays the therapist Kyoko. This pairing of rising stars, both enveloped in a mysterious allure, brings the story to life. The cast also includes actresses with distinct presences such as Yuiko Kariya, Rio Yamashita, and Ayumi Ito, who delicately convey the subtle emotions of the women harboring these flowers through their nuanced performances.

A Love Blossoms, Drawn by the Growth of the Flower

Botanist Otaki and the new therapist Kyoko are engrossed in researching the mysterious small buds, the 'Shanidar flowers,' that have taken root in the chests of selected women.

The research institute refers to these flowers, believed to contain components of a groundbreaking new drug, as 'miracle flowers.' Women bearing these flowers are housed in a guesthouse. This arrangement is a business model predicated on the women's agreement to provide their blooming flowers to the institute at a high price. Otaki and Kyoko's mission is to care for the minds and bodies of these women, the providers, and to help the flowers reach full bloom.



Otaki, devoted to his research, and Kyoko, possessing a captivating and mysterious charm. The two gradually fall in love, as if drawn by the growth of the flowers. However, incidents of women dying mysteriously during the flower harvesting process begin to occur, leading Otaki to harbor doubts about the institute. Meanwhile, Kyoko, aware of the flower's dangerous nature, becomes increasingly captivated by its allure. The gears of fate for the two, who were drawn to each other, begin to slowly grind out of sync.──.

As director Ishii states, 'The flower is a symbol of eros and death, and re-examining the man and woman consumed by it is a way of reconsidering the nature of vitality.' Through the relationship between humans and the flower, 'Shanidar no Hana' presents a new perspective on the world. The tense, unique world of Ishii, described by Go Ayano as 'quiet madness,' draws viewers into its distinct realm.

'Shanidar no Hana'
Now playing at Theatre Shinjuku and other theaters nationwide.
Director | Gakuryu Ishii
Starring | Go Ayano, Haru Kuroki, Yuiko Kariya, Rio Yamashita, Kanji Furutachi, Ayumi Ito
Distribution | Phantom Film
2012 / Japan / 105 minutes
http://shanidar-hana.com/
© 2012 'Shanidar no Hana' Production Committee