Through this movie, you can find Your own ‘Switch to Happiness’. Heartwarming story of stubborn father and his three daughters at a small electric appliance store in a country town of Japan, finding their love and bond after the storms.
Starring Juri Ueno and Kenji Sawada, as the daughter and the father.
Director & Scriptwriter : Mana YASUDA
Cast : Juri Ueno Manami Honjo Kenji Sawada Sizuka nakamura
Production : TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION TOKYO THEATRES COMPANY Inc. Kansai Television Co. Ltd.
( 2006 , 105min )
2006 A Special Woman Director Award at the 16th Japanese Movie Critics Award
2007 The Best Script Award at the 2nd Osaka Cinema Festival
2006 China Japan International Film Festival (at Beijing ) “Most Favorite Film” by an audience survey among 11 films screened there
【Story】 Rei Inada is a newly-hired illustrator based in Tokyo, struggling with the tasks that never go smooth as planned. She left her small hometown and moved to the big city, by being fed up with her stubborn father Seiichiro and his unprofitable work at small electric appliance store he runs. That obviously holding her back from homecoming for a while.
One day Seiichiro got hospitalized, that brought Rei rush back home to help out her father’s store.
Unlike her sisters there; Hard-working eldest sister with their late mother’s eyes Hitomi, and cheerful youngest sister with mechanical-minded Kaori, Rei cannot be quite cooperative to her father Seiichiro. Rei often gets frustrated by Seiichiro’s “too much” of detailed personalized services for the locals, or/and his strong commitment for his own “serve first, charge later” motto.
But by recognizing the local community’s affection towards Seiichiro and his sincere passion for his work, Rei realizes the love and strong connections that bind her family together.
Based on in-depth coverage from the real life at small electric appliance store in countryside of Japan, the heartwarming story, that questions about family bond and meaning of work, through tiny little episodes in everyday life.
■ Tanabe City, Wakayama
This film was shot in Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. There are many beautiful sights there.
Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau
( Photos by Chiharu Nagase )
