The Ballad of Narayama

The Brief

In a remote mountain village with a harsh climate, the inhabitants struggle to survive, leading to brutal solutions. One of the measures is that everyone must go to the sacred mountain Narayama when they turn 70, to die. We follow the strong and vital Orin. She is 69 years old, and takes steps to secure her family before it is her turn to set out on the journey. The Ballad of Narayama is a remake of Keisuke Kinoshita's film from 1958, which in turn was based on a novel by Shichiro Fukuzawa. Where Kinoshita's film is a tightly directed drama built on the traditions of kabuki theater, Imamura chooses a much looser structure. His intimate and sensual images make this a raw and poetic ballad for which he deservedly won the Palme d'Or in 1983.