Kiyoshi Kurosawa, "Tokyo Sonata": Meet the Filmmaker

Published: April 20, 2009, 10:34 p.m.

b'Hear accomplished Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa as he discusses his award-winning film "Tokyo Sonata," which was given a Jury Prize at Cannes 2008. \\n\\nSet in contemporary Tokyo, the film\'s story is of an ordinary Japanese family of four. The father, Ryuhei Sasaki, like any other Japanese businessman, is faithfully devoted to his work. His wife Megumi manages the house and struggles to retain a bond with Takashi, her oldest son who is in college, and the youngest, Kenji, a sensitive boy in elementary school. The quiet unraveling of the family begins when Ryuhei unexpectedly loses his job. \\xa0In the hands of director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, renowned for his suspenseful films, this story probes the dark side of human nature and the social problems that confront contemporary Japan. Kurosawa\'s portrayal of the breakdown and redemption of Japan\'s "ordinary family" is every bit as gripping as his previous works. "Tokyo Sonata" releases in theaters March 13, 2009.\\n \\nhttp://www.tokyosonatamovie.com/'