THE MOURNING FOREST
As you can see, this is the time they all relax together.
We'll go for an early walk to avoid the heat.
You nervous?
There are no set rules here.
You alright?
Thanks for your help.
You're welcome.
♪ Come rain ♪
♪ or shine, ♪
♪ It's always in my heart ♪
♪ My homeland ♪
A pumpkin.
My, it's heavy!
Look!
I can see. What is it?
Can you pick that for me?
That was easy.
Turn your hand like that,
then it's easy.
Machiko, do you like pumpkin?
Let's cook it later on.
I've finished the dishes.
Then, empty the residents' wastepaper baskets
and that will be all for today.
Say something before you go in.
(Bird singing)
Am I alive?
"To be alive" has two meanings.
The first:
Eating rice. And other food. What you do.
So, tell me. Do you eat rice?
Yes, you're eating rice.
Is the other food good?
Yes, it is. That's important.
But there is another meaning.
Having the sensation of living.
Feeling alive.
"I don't understand the meaning of life."
"I don't see the point of my life."
It's not just about "eating and living".
That's why I said your question had two meanings.
Do you eat?
Yes, you eat, so you're alive.
That's the answer in most cases.
But as I said just now,
you don't feel alive.
I mean in your heart, not your stomach.
Your heart has become empty.
- It's emptiness, not nothingness. - Emptiness?
Am I alive or not?
When you can't
answer that question yourself,
then it's the other meaning.
If you want to grasp this other meaning...
Miss Machiko...
Take his hand.
What do you feel? Warmth?
Can you feel her energy?
Through your hand?
You feel the sensation of living.
Living is therefore sensations.
Say something nice to him.
Are you feeling well?
Yes.
Thanks to these words, you felt something.
By answering "Yes", you felt well-being.
Master...
I'd like to know...
how do you live when you're alone?
Well, that's the question.
You should know that a solitary life
is a situation produced by today's society.
So...
when you want to open up to others,
but you're not really able to,
what can you do?
MA-KO
MA
KO
MA-CHI-KO
MA-KO
Mr Shigeki, she's Machiko.
- Not true. - Not true? It's not true?
Really? She's Mrs Mako?
Not true.
Mako...
Mrs Mako is his wife?
- She's dead? - That's right.
How many years has it been?
How many years?
33 years, right?
33 years.
In that case,
this year will be
the 33rd anniversary of her death.
So,
as Mrs Mako died 33 years ago,
Mrs Mako...
will enter once and for all
the world of Buddha this year.
After 33 years, you become a buddha.
Consequently,
she will not return to this world again.
The 33rd anniversary
is a memorable anniversary.
It's this year, then.
When you die,
there's the "other world".
It's bigger than the huge Earth.
It's an enormous, very happy place.
And there are lots of men
and lots of women
who went before us.
"We were expecting you".
Before we were born,
before birth...
where were we?
I think we were
in our mother's womb.
When we die,
I sometimes wonder if we go up to heaven, dancing.
How can I put it?
I don't think about death.
That day,
why did you let go of our son's hand?
Why did you?
Why am I alive?
And he's dead?
Tell me why.
Why is he dead?
I'm sorry.
What about you, Mrs Mitsuko?
What does it feel like to have lost a child?
I can't put it into words.
What I can say is,
when he died, I was told to keep a grip.
I cried so much
that the nurse started crying with me.
When she came to help me tidy everything away,
we cried together, holding hands.
You think about it every day?
I told him I wish I hadn't brought him into the world.
I cried and apologized.
I like to watch TV.
Do you like watching TV?
His birthday?
We should have snacks and celebrate.
Good idea.
Listen up, everyone.
Today is Mr Shigeki's birthday.
Let's all celebrate it together.
Music, please.
Give me a big smile.
What should we gift you?
What would you like?
Tell us what you'd like.
Is there nothing but your wife?
Mako.
She's dead.
Does he have children?
He doesn't?
I can't do it.
Mako.
Excuse me.
Mr Shigeki,
I'm here to empty your bin.
What are you doing?
Is this trash?
Further?
Over there?
That's it.
Alright.
There you are.
Thank you very much.
Does it hurt?
I'm sorry.
Don't apologize.
Nobody did anything wrong.
What's the matter?
What about you, Wakako?
Aren't you in pain?
Me?
Yes, I am.
I am in pain...
Of course. At times.
Do you think I'll be OK?
There are no set rules, you know.
You'll be fine in time.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
There are no set rules, you know.
...you know.
Why do you say that?
A lover taught it to me.
A lover?
Yes.
Was he from around here?
Yes, Kansai.
I'm a very serious person.
I always want to do everything just right.
I end up exhausted and I get irritated.
So, this lover said to me:
"There are no set rules, you know."
It calmed me down.
There are no set rules, you know.
No rules... you know.
Great!
Mr Shigeki.
Are you OK?
There you are, Machiko.
Hello.
Careful...
Wait!
There are no set rules...
I can see you!
Wait for me!
Mind the door!
Off we go.
- Got a flask? - Yes.
Call me if necessary.
Isn't that nice, Mr Shigeki?
You're going out with Machiko.
Have a good trip.
We're off.
Have a good trip!
Are you OK? Are you in any pain?
Sorry.
Wait a bit.
Wait just a bit.
You're not in any pain?
Wait for me. Stay here.
Do you want to get out?
Just a moment.
Excuse me!
Is there anyone there?
Excuse me!
Wait for me. I'm going to those houses.
Can you stay on your own?
Will you be OK?
Don't leave the car.
Stay here and hold on tight.
Will you be OK?
You're not in any pain at all?
It'll be alright.
Wait for me.
Drink if you're thirsty.
Where are you?
Where have you got to?
What's that?
Let's stop for a drink.
I'm exhausted.
Stop!
Wait for me!
What's wrong?
It's delicious.
You can't beat a watermelon when it's hot.
You sure made me run!
It's so hot!
It's delicious.
Where were you going?
Is this the right way?
Are you sure?
It's not that way?
This way.
It flew away.
Good.
Careful!
Mr Shigeki...
Where are you going?
To Mako.
What's that?
A tomb.
A tomb?
Mako's. Is it hers?
Hello?
We're just...
No signal.
Mr Shigeki,
let's pray to the wind together.
Please.
Wind...
Please.
We've already been this way.
We just barely had time to rest.
Come on, let's rest a bit longer.
- No way. - Let's rest.
If you fall, what will I do?
Come on, let's rest here.
Just for a while.
Is this bag so important?
So important?
Important.
More important than yourself?
More important than you?
Important...
Important.
Let's just rest here.
Wait!
It's dangerous.
No! Don't cross!
You mustn't cross!
You mustn't!
No!
I'm sorry!
You mustn't cross!
Don't do it! Don't!
Please!
Don't do it!
I'm sorry...
The water of the river
which flows constantly
never returns to its source.
...never returns to its source.
...ever.
We're lucky the fire caught.
It was cold.
Now it's nice and warm.
It was so cold...
Are you OK?
It's nice and warm.
What's wrong?
It's tea.
Thank you.
Tea.
What is it?
Are you cold?
Let's take that off.
It'll be alright.
We're alive, aren't we?
We're alive.
I'll carry that.
It'll be fine.
Watch out.
I'll carry your bag.
It's heavy.
I'll carry it.
I'll carry it for you.
Chin up!
Mako?
1973
1975
1985
For a long time...
...I was lost...
...but now I'm here.
I'm going to sleep
in the earth.
I feel so good!
It's alright now.
Everything's alright...
You waited for so long.
For a long time...
...a very long time...
...you must be tired.
For such a long time...
...you were always there.
Thank you.
I'm going to sleep...
...in the earth.
A word about Mogari
It is the period devoted to mourning,
thinking back on the dearly beloved.
It is also the place of mourning.
The word is said to have come from
"Mo Agari", the end of mourning.
Shigeki: U DA Shigeki
Machiko: ONO Machiko
Wakako: WATANABE Makiko
Camera: NAKANO Hideyo
Lighting: IMURA Masami
Music: SHIGENO Masamichi
Scriptwriter - Director: KAWASE Naomi
Subtitles: J. Miller
Subtitling Titra Film Paris