7 years in the making, filming spanned two and a half years, interrupted by the earthquake

Hameln gently portrays the memories of an elderly former principal living alone in a closed elementary school and the people who reside in the depopulating village. Set in Showa Village, Aizu, often called the original landscape of Japan, this is an adult fantasy where each scene is as beautiful as a painting.

The director, Takafumi Tsubokawa, who directed this film, previously won both the Grand Prix and the Audience Award at the 23rd Poti International Film Festival for "Fine, Totally Fine," and has since been invited to film festivals worldwide, receiving high acclaim. He searched nationwide for a suitable abandoned school and found the Kugimaru Elementary School in Showa Village, Fukushima Prefecture, which was slated for demolition. However, the film was completed after seven years of conception and two and a half years of filming, interrupted by the earthquake.





The protagonist, Noda, is played by the acclaimed actor Hidetoshi Nishijima, and Ritsuko, the daughter of Noda's former teacher who warmly watches over him, is portrayed by the renowned Japanese actress Chieko Baisho.

Noda, an alumnus, arrives to organize artifacts unearthed from ruins at the abandoned school

In a certain village, the former principal lived in an abandoned school building. He spent his quiet days mending the schoolhouse, which was no longer in use, as if cherishing his "fading home." However, it was finally decided that the school building would be demolished.

One day, Noda, a man who once studied at this elementary school, arrives as a museum staff member to organize artifacts unearthed from ruins that were preserved in the school building. In fact, Noda had a "small secret" that he had never revealed to anyone.



However, as he interacts with the principal, his former teacher Ayako-sensei, and her daughter Ritsuko, nostalgic memories of his elementary school days are rekindled, and Noda's heart gradually begins to change. He also finds himself increasingly empathizing with the feelings the principal entrusts to his successor.

Around this time, Ayako-sensei, who had been at a village elder care facility, is to be moved to a large hospital in a neighboring town. As she leaves the village accompanied by her daughter Ritsuko, Ayako-sensei stops by the school, looks out at the schoolyard, and murmurs softly, "I wonder where those children went."—.

Enjoy a story of people's memories, spun within the leisurely flow of time in a beautiful mountain village, known as the "original landscape of Japan."



Hameln
Opening Saturday, September 7th, at Eurospace and other theaters nationwide
Director, Screenplay, Editor | Takafumi Tsubokawa
Starring | Hidetoshi Nishijima, Chieko Baisho, Nagatoshi Sakamoto, Hiroya Morita, Kenji Mizuhashi, Shungiku Uchida, Masao Komatsu, Akiko Kaze
Distribution | TRIKSTER
2013 / Japan / 132 min
http://www.hameln-film.jp/

© Hameln Production Committee