Images of the earthquake in Japan on March 11 open the first scenes of the film; a chant recurs in Chazawa's words:

"I know the flies in the milk, the specks in the white,

I know who works and who is lazy,

I know the difference between a pale face....

I know death that devours everything...

I know everything except myself..."

The teacher at school tells the students: "Be unique flowers and dream!"

Sumida stands up and replies:

"Long live ordinariness!"; the young student has a single wish, to become a normal man, "I won't be happy," he says, "but neither will I be unhappy," he wants to lead a quiet life renting out boats from his very poor family.

His father is extremely violent and comes home only for money and to beat his son, regretting the day Sumida did not drown, preventing him from collecting the insurance.

His mother abandons him.

Sumida is madly loved by Chazawa, who represents a sort of Platonic Diotima who, through eros, leads him to self-knowledge.

She also has parents who are building her a canopy with a noose to induce her to commit suicide simply because "they don't need her."

In this human devastation, the story presents an endless sequence of situations of great significance and scenic impact.

Sumida's goal is to fight the losers who are dishonest, arrogant, and violent; he wants to do good for humanity by eliminating bad people and thus redeem his father's figure.

Will Sumida succeed? "How long will your mission last?" Chazawa asks him, adding: "It's fine to help people, but first you have to help yourself, change your perspectives, and give your best."

She plans for the future while he sees no future; she invites him to try to imagine it even if it is just a dream.

This and much more happens in this film based on the manga "Himizu" by Minoru Furuya, rewritten after the March 11 earthquake.

How can one think about the future after a disaster of that magnitude?

The images of the devastation are real, and the despair they evoke defeats all hope.

Sono Sion portrays today's youth: "It is the story of boys who have not yet experienced the awakening of sexuality, who suffer purely in life and try to become adults," he says.

Himizu is what Sumida wants to be, a mole, unseen by the sun, hidden from the sun, while Chazawa yells at him not to give up!

A film of great pathos, with fundamental philosophical questions about one's identity, hopes, dreams, and future.

Excellent images, sublime music, like the background noise foreshadowing death and devastation.

23-Jun-2023 by Beatrice