"This fascinating experimental documentary examines the relationships between grandmothers, mothers, and daughters in Japan.
It traces several two or three generation mother-daughter and grandmother-mother pairs talking singly about the events in their lives, and implicitly about the interactions among them. The women range in age from some near teenagers to women in their seventies talking about their lives as daughters around the turn of the century. Interwoven throughout the interviews is a folk tale about a mother who rescues her daughter from an evil ogre who had kidnapped her.
The film is visually and aurally stunning, as made images, black background, and archival footing are intercut with women talking and underlaid by a score which subtly sets a mood for each theme. Insightful and entertaining, this innovative piece not only communicates how the roles of Japanese women have changed over the century, but also provides an idea of the transitions Japanese society is undergoing as a whole."
