vernon film society
Bringing the best in world and Canadian film to film lovers of Vernon and the North Okanagan
CHERRY BLOSSOMS
Director: Doris Dorrie
Cast: Elmar Wepper, and Hannelore Elsne
Run Time: 127 minutes
Country: Germany, France
Year: 2009
Language: German, English, Japanese with English subtitles
Rating: 14A (Nudity)
The sudden death of his wife plunges a terminally ill man into profound grief. Realizing how little he knew her and how little he showed her his affection, he devotes his last weeks to fulfilling her long-cherished dreams. Only Trudi knows that her husband Rudi is suffering from a terminal illness. It is up to her to tell him or not. The doctor suggests that they do something together, perhaps something they were long planning to do… Trudi decides not to tell her husband about the gravity of his illness and to follow the doctor's advice. She convinces Rudi to visit their children and grandchildren in Berlin. But once they arrive, they realize that their children are so busy with their own lives that they have no time for them. Then, suddenly, Trudi dies. Rudi is devastated and has no idea what to do next. From his daughter´s girlfriend he learns that Trudi's love for him had led her to forego the life that she had wanted to live. He begins to see her with new eyes and vows to make up for her lost life. And so he embarks on his last journey - to Tokyo, in the midst of the cherry blossom festival, a celebration of beauty, impermanence and new beginnings…
One of Germany´s foremost filmmakers ("Men," "Me and Him," "Am I Beautiful," "Enlightenment Guaranteed", "Naked"), multiple award-winning director Doris Dörrie reconfirms her exceptional talent with this tender, emotionally intense and profoundly moving story of marital love.
“The movie is an ideal blend of character study, deceptively simple plot twists, inspired acting, and travelogue.” - San Francisco Chronicle
REVIEWS: www.metacritic.com/film/titles/cherryblossoms
