Riding Alone for Thousandsof Miles

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Riding Alone for Thousandsof Miles ★★ Qian Li Zou Dan Ji 2005 (PG)

Small-scale, compelling human drama from Zhang. Japanese fisherman Gouichi Takata (Takakura) is called to Tokyo by his daughter-in-law, where his estranged son Kenichi (Nakai) is hospitalized with terminal cancer. Grief-stricken, Gouichi vows to fulfill his son's dying dream—to film celebrated Chinese opera star Li Jiamin (appearing as himself) in performance. This involves the elderly man traveling to a remote Chinese province and ultimately reuniting Li with his own illegitimate son. Hope triumphs amidst the hardships. Japanese and Chinese with subtitles. 108m/C DVD . CH HK JP Ken Takakura, Kiichi Nakai, Shinobu Terajima, Li Jiamon; D: Yimou Zhang; W: Zou Jingzhi; C: Xiaoding Zhao; M: Guo Wenjing.