Pathos of love in 'Departures'
Samodh Thaveesha
|
A scene from ‘Departures’
|
The 81st Oscar Academy Awards ceremony ended giving much recognition
to a number of films all over the world. Discussions and disputes were
raised in Sri Lanka as well of the awarded movies.
A majority was only concerned of big hits like 'Slumdog Millionaire',
'The Reader' , 'The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button' and 'Frost/Nixon',
but a very few of 'Departures', a Japanese production directed by Yojiro
Takita, which won the award for the Best Foreign Language Film.
The movie contains a touching love story which even extends beyond
the personal relationships and to the spiritual relationships which
harmonizes the personal relationships.
Jobless man
Diago Kobayashi, being a cellist, is left jobless after his orchestra
is dissolved. Diago's mother had died two years ago and his father had
dumped them when Diago was just 6 years old.
To get rid of financial difficulties, Diago applies for a job
mentioned in a newspaper and gets it with an attractive salary. His work
there is to prepare deadbodies for casketing and spiritual cleansing.
However he hides this from his cheerful and beautiful wife Mika.
After some initial hiccups, Diago quite settles himself in the new
job and finds it holy. So even when his wife discovers it and pleads
with him to quit, he refuses.
As a result she abandons him. Diago perceives he must give priority
to the profession which heals a lot of painful minds and less to the
personal relationships and realizes things that sound disgusting are
also much required and loved sometimes.
Modern Japan
The movie passionately reflects the existence of modernized Japan's
spiritual beliefs and as Diago's boss says, "....the first step of
casketing is washing the dead body, it washes away the weariness, pain
and cares of this world and represents the 1st bath for the newborn in
the next....." This shows their deepest attachment to spirituality which
is capable of reuniting the departed.
'Departures' takes a bend as Mika returns to Diago claiming she is
pregnant. At the very moment Diago is called to attend spiritual
cleansing of an old lady he is very much acquainted with.
Mika comes and silently witnesses the poignant situation he tackles
and quietly starts to admire his service herself. A very moving scene
follows after Diago finishes doing his task as he takes his wife near a
lake and hands her a smooth, even stone and relates to her when he is
asked that smooth stones were sent to their loved ones by people who are
away to say that he is happy and proud of the recipient.
Death
Soon afterwards Diago is informed that his father has died, He
refuses to attend him. But however by the persuasion of Mika, he attend
his father's corpse and undertakes the spiritual cleansing himself. When
he is putting the father's fingertips together he finds a smooth even
stone. Both Diago and Mika become deeply moved by this.
With tear filled eyes Diago completes the spiritual cleansing while
Mika happily and proudly watches the reunion of her husband and
father-in-law even after the latter's death. Finally Diago collects the
stone and offers it to Mika, she takes it along with his hands and
presses them to her belly.
This touching scene completes the movie in a reflective but a happy
mood, in contrast to the suggestions of its title 'Departures'.
Hardships and reunions
'Departures' is a wonderful love story of overcoming hardships and
achieving a happy reunion by Diago not only with his wife, but also with
his father as a result of his faith and devotion towards spirituality.
The movie is almost entirely devoted to show the faith and devotion
of the Japanese to their religion and customs, which are spiritual and
how they were paid off for their faith in leaps and bounds.
The movie is full of subtle religion-related symbols. The movie
successfully brings out how the spirituality could be used as a medicine
to heal the life of the individuals and their personal relations.
|
