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HIMATSURI (Original title)FIRE FESTIVAL (Alternative title)FESTIVAL OF FIRE (Alternative title)
Date: 1984 (Release)

Country: Japan

Director: Mitsuo Yanagimachi

Synopsis: Set in a village on the south west coast of Japan, tells the story of a logger and his family. The peaceful coast is threatened by land developers to whom the logger refuses to sell his property. When thousands of fish are poisoned the developers pin the blame on the man, who kills his family and himself during the annual fire festival.

Genre:
Drama
Credits (24)
Production Company: Gunro Productions, Production Company: Seibu Group, Production Company: Cine Saison, Executive Producer: Kazuo Shimizu, Production Manager: Shinji Komiya, Production Manager: Shima Anzai, Assistant Director: Yusuke Narita, Script: Kenji Nakagami, Based on the story by: Kenji Nakagami, Photography: Masaki Tamura, Lighting: Hisashi Takaya, Visual effects: Minoru Nakano, Editor: Sachiko Yamaji, Art Director: Takeo Kimura, Set Decorator: Akiyoshi Kanda, Costumes: Daiichi Costumes, Make-up: Yamada Katsura Company, Music: Toru Takemitsu, Choreography: Shinichi Ikeda, Sound Recording: Yukio Kubota, Sound Effects: Yukio Hokari, Fight director: Tadahiro Kunii, Stunts: Masao Takahashi
Cast (33)
Kinya Kitaoji (Tatsuo), Kiwako Taichi (Kimiko), Ryota Najamoto (Ryota), Norihei Miki (Yamakawa), Rikiya Yasuoka (Toshio), Seiji Kurasaki (Koji), Maiko Kawakami (Maiko), Junko Miyashita (Sachiko, Tatsuo's Wife), Kin Sugai (Tatsuo's Mother), Sachiko Matsushita, Masako Yagi (Tatsuo's Sister), Jukei Fujioka, Nenji Kobayashi, Ippei Sooda (Lumberjack), Aoi Nakajima (Kimiko's Sister), Kenzô Kaneko (Sister's Husband), Ban Kojika (Ironmonger), Masato Ibu (Mobile Shop Owner), Kosanji Yanagiya (Boatman), Aiko Morishita (Child Minder), Eiichi Kudo (Lumberjacks' Driver), Yosuke Naka, Gozo Sooma, Koji Miemachi, Yuzuko Kinoshita, Mitsuyo Inomata, Reiko Nanao, Shiro Shimomoto, Yuhei Kurachi, Remon Hori, Baiken Jukkanji, Akira Sakai, Atsushi Imaizumi (Fisherman)
Articles held in BFI Reuben Library (18)
In: Asian Cinema v18 n1 Spr/Sum 2007  Pages: 202-223
Title: Re-imagining the Japanese: Himatsuri (Fire Festival), the...Author: TOMONARI, Noboru Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: "...Film and the Novella". Looking at the work of novelist Kenji Nakagami which were adapted for the screen and also of director Yanagimachi Mitsuo who filmed some of his novels. Focuses on HIMATSURI which can be seen as a 'burakumin' film

In: Cinemaya n24 Summer 1994  Pages: 22-28
Title: Mitsuo Yanagimachi; The Maker of MythsAuthor: RICHIE, Donald Article type: ArticleLanguage: English
Description: Interview with Mitsuo Yanagimachi in which he discusses his early life and his films; GOD SPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR, JUKYUSAI NO CHIZU, SARABA ITOSHIKI DAICHI and HIMATSURI.

In: British National Film and Video Catalogue v24 1986
Title: [British National Film & Video Catalogue - v24 1986: no known title]Language: English

In: Positif n300 February 1986  Pages: 28-29
Title: [Positif - n300 February 1986: no known title]Article type: ReviewLanguage: French
Description: Review.

In: Monthly Film Bulletin v53 n625 February 1986  Pages: 35-36
Title: [Monthly Film Bulletin - v53 n625 February 1986: no known title]Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
Description: Review.

In: Monthly Film Bulletin v53 n625 February 1986  Page: 37
Title: [Monthly Film Bulletin - v53 n625 February 1986: no known title]Article type: InterviewLanguage: English
Description: Interview with director.

In: Film Criticism v10 n3 Spring 1986  Pages: Spring 49-59
Title: [Film Criticism - v10 n3 Spring 1986: no known title]Language: English
Description: Analysis.

In: City Limits n222 3 Jan 1986  Page: 23
Title: [City Limits - n222 3 Jan 1986: no known title]Language: English

In: Cinématographe n116 February 1986  Page: 33
Title: [Cinématographe - n116 February 1986: no known title]Language: French

In: Positif n300 February 1986  Pages: 30-33
Title: [Positif - n300 February 1986: no known title]Article type: InterviewLanguage: French
Description: Interview with director.

In: Time Out n802 2 Jan 1986  Page: 23
Title: [Time Out - n802 2 Jan 1986: no known title]Article type: InterviewLanguage: English
Description: Interview with director.

In: Time Out n802 2 Jan 1986  Page: 59
Title: [Time Out - n802 2 Jan 1986: no known title]Article type: ReviewLanguage: English
Description: Caption review.

In: Cahiers du Cinéma n380 February 1986
Title: [Cahiers du Cinéma - n380 February 1986: no known title]Language: French

In: The Hollywood Reporter v289 n17 29 Oct 1985  Page: 10
Title: [The Hollywood Reporter - v289 n17 29 Oct 1985: no known title]Language: English

In: Cinéma n318 June 1985  Pages: 44-45
Title: Un certain regardAuthor: BLANCHET, Christian Article type: CreditsLanguage: French
Description: Reviewed at Cannes 1985.

In: City Limits n220/221 20 Dec 1985  Page: 34
Title: [City Limits - n220/221 20 Dec 1985: no known title]Article type: InterviewLanguage: English
Description: Interview with director.

In:   Pages: VIII-XI
Title: [ - : no known title]
Description: Interview with director.

In:   Pages: 52-54
Title: [ - : no known title]
Description: Review.


Books held in BFI Reuben Library (1)
Title: Japanese cinema: texts and contexts
Author: PHILLIPS, Alastair  Pages: xviii, 363 p.


Film, Video or Digital materials held in BFI National Archive(1)
Film materials(1)
Description: 35mm Colour PositiveBase: SafetySound: CombinedBFI identifier: C-1314694
Status: Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status