Manzan Benigaki

In autumn, the hillsides around Kaminoyama light up with the reddish-orange colour of the persimmon, a delicious fruit of great delicacy. Over and above the detailed picture of this fruit-growing business, from harvesting, drying through to selling, the film depicts the peasants and what they have to say. It portrays a whole culture made up of gestures and anecdotes, a knowledge of the land, perseverance and invention, all patiently handed down from one generation to another. Yet, for how much longer? “With his in-depth knowledge and heartfelt commitment, Ogawa was ensuring the memory of a very specific part of Japanese tradition, whose beauty he wanted to share with the rest of the world and future generations.” says director Xiaolian PENG, Ogawa’s former collaborator who shot additional footage and completed the film.