FIREFLY DREAMS

Japan, 2001, 105 minutes, Colour.
Mahao Ukai, Yoshie Minami.
Directed by John Williams.

Firefly Dreams is an insightful look at Japanese youth, especially adolescence, at the end of the 20th century, beginning of the 21st. The film focuses on Naomi, a schoolgirl, who is alienated from school, alienated from her parents (her mother is having an affair, her father does nothing and drinks). With the departure of her mother, her father decides that she has to spend the summer in the country with her uncle and aunt. Reluctantly, she goes. She does the work required of her, sulks, flirts momentarily with a young delivery boy, is mean to her cousin who is mentally impaired. The countryside, however, gradually has an effect on her. She also meets a very old lady suffering from senility, a woman who had been an actress in a classic film, was a war widow. Gradually the friendship between the two changes Naomi, opens her up to traditions, moves her away from her self-centredness.

21-year-old actress Mahao Ukai is convincing as the 17-year-old girl both in her wilfulness in the opening of the film and in her transformation. Classic Japanese actress Yoshie Minami is the old woman. The film was written and directed by British-born and Welsh-educated John Williams. Having spent ten years in Japan, making documentaries, he decided to make a feature film remembering his experiences with teenagers. The screenplay was carefully considered so that Japanese audiences would not be critical of a foreigner looking at their culture. He has succeeded very well with the film.

1. The impact of the film? A portrait of Japanese adolescence? The alienation, the transformation, hopes and hopelessness? For a Japanese audience? For an international audience?

2. The British perspective on Japan, sympathetic, empathetic? Critical in an appropriate way?

3. Nagoya, the city, the streets and buildings, schools? The contrast with the beautiful countryside (two hours from Nagoya), the mountains and forests, the waterfalls and the rivers? The small town, the hotel, the homes? The atmosphere of the musical score - the songs, the music?

4. The title and the image of the firefly, the stories told about the fireflies? Dreams and Naomi's dreams, especially about her childhood and her father?

5. The portrait of Naomi: 17, schoolgirl, at school and the ridicule of the maths teacher, jokes and giggles with the others, her friends, in the street, going to nightclubs? The clash with her parents, disobedient, ringing up about the club? Coming home? Her girlfriend and the money paid for the sexual encounter? Her reluctance? Her possibilities for growing up, her skipping school and lack of education and training, thinking of getting a job?

6. Her mother, her severity, Naomi challenging her with her own behaviour, like mother like daughter? Her father, ineffectual, drinking? His love for his daughter? The mother leaving, the father having to make decisions? The impact later of his death? The funeral? Her discussions with her mother, her mother's remarriage, the trip to Europe? Naomi deciding to be by herself?

7. Reluctantly going to the country, her uncle and aunt, the hotel, her grandfather and his stories, Naomi and her childlike behaviour? Her clashes with Yumi? Sullen in the house, meals? Doing her jobs in the hotel? In the fields? Her actually doing the hard work? Meeting the boy, the deliveries, the discussions, the flirtation? Seeing him with another girl? The time passing and her changing?

8. The importance of the visits to Mrs Koide? Her senility, her memory coming and going? The attraction between the two? Mrs Koide remembering Naomi from the past? Their discussions, memories, photos, the film in which she acted? Spending time together? Looking at her house, Naomi finding the kimono and letting Mrs Koide dress her in the traditional garb? Mrs Koide's illness, going to hospital? The necessity of the aunt caring for her, Naomi doing this? The growing bonds?

9. The uncle and aunt, their hard work, their reaction to Naomi's parents, having her in the house? The grandfather and his chatting with her?

10. Yumi, her age, mental state, friendly, playing with Naomi, Naomi being mean? Sharing the room, Yumi giving her the teddy bear? The gradual change, playing together, sharing experiences? Yumi's grief when Naomi was to leave? Not wanting her to go, wanting her to come back?

11. The people in the town, the hotel, the workers, the young boy and his liking to live in the country, flirting?

12. The portrait of a young girl, cut off from the traditions, influenced by her worldly parents, not being able to cope? A different world being opened up to her, learning to love, being sympathetic, appreciating the different generations? Her more secure future?