April Story

April Story (Japanese: 四月物語) is a Japanese film directed by Shunji Iwai starring Takako Matsu.

April Story
Directed by	Shunji Iwai
Written by	Shunji Iwai
Produced by	Hidemi Satani
Starring	Takako Matsu Fujii Kahori Tanabe Seiichi
Cinematography	Noboru Shinoda
Edited by	Shunji Iwai
Music by	Shunji Iwai
Distributed by	Rockwell Eyes
Release date	March 14, 1998 (1998-03-14)
Running time	67 min.
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Plot

Uzuki Nireno, a shy girl from Asahikawa, a city in northern Hokkaidō, leaves her family for Musashino University in Tokyo. However, she finds herself lonely in the unfamiliar place. Soon, she befriends Saeko Sono, who prompts her to join the university's fishing club. The film shows a series of vignettes of her day to day life: She watches a fictionalized film about a failed assassination on Oda Nobunga. In the theatre, a man tries sitting beside her, and she flees the theatre, leaving her books behind. She shares curry with her apartment neighbour. She bikes the city streets.

Reflecting on her intentions to attend Musashino University, she recalls the local boy from her high school she fell in love with, Yamazaki, and whom she followed to Tokyo. She finds the bookstore in which he works, Musashino-do, buying several books in hopes of interacting with him. One day, he finally recognizes her. Outside, the rain pours, and Yamazaki pulls out various umbrellas left behind by customers for her to use. She promises to him she'll return as she leaves.

Cast

• Takako Matsu as Uzuki Nireno
• Seiichi Tanabe as Yamazaki
• Kaori Fujii as Teruko Kitao
• Rumi as Saeko Sono
• Kazuhiko Kato as The Man in the Art Gallery
• Go Jibiki
• Matsumoto Kōshirō IX as Uzuki's father
• Ichikawa Somegorō VII as Uzuki's brother
• Yōsuke Eguchi as Oda Nobunaga
• Tatsuya Ishii as Akechi Mitsuhide

Crew

• Director/Writer/Editor/Composer: Shunji Iwai
• Director of Photography: Noboru Shinoda
• Lighting Director: Yuki Nakamura
• Production Designer: Yuji Tsuzuki

DVD Editions

• Japanese R2 (No English Subtitles)
• Korean R3 (English Subtitles)
• Hong Kong R3 (Japanese dialogue, English / Full Chinese subtitles)

Festivals

• Toronto International Film Festival, 1998
• Pusan International Film Festival, 1998

Awards

• 1998 Pusan International Film Festival: Audience Award