Tada Hitotabi No Hito (1993)

Run Time - 105 min.  |   Countries - Japan  |  
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Synopsis by Jonathan Crow

Tetsu Kato spins this tale of a down and out artist struggling to eat and cling to his artistic vision at the same time. Namihiko (Namihiko Omura) is a jazz shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) player desperately hustling to get a gig. His girlfriend is fed up with their perennial poverty, and harangs him about his lack of drive. His landlady is after him for not paying the rent. Namihiko finally lands a gig at his sister's wedding, but even being at home does not relieve him of torment; his mother (Sachiko Hidari) pleads with him to get a life. For a moment, he wavers and acquiesces to his family's demands. While standing at the threshold of the plant grounds, he chucks material concerns and return to his art. Later, Namihiko is alone -- both his mother and his girlfriend told him to take a flying leap -- and homeless, but he still has his shakuhachi, which he plays blissfully in the street.