Katsuhito Ishii
The Taste of Tea portrays an honest insight into the life of different individuals that make up a family. We follow each of them from scene to scene, as they aim to fulfil their personal desires. Set in the idyllic landscape of rural Japan, for someone who has never been, it is exactly what you dream of. Billowing cherry blossoms, intricate interiors and more than enough space to breath, giving you a real moment of serenity, especially when Ishii’s story is one you can fall in and out of whenever you please.
Additionally, the picturesque epic is decorated with symbolic animations, which embody the quirks and emotions of each character. One that is most visually striking is the journey of the young girl, Sachiko, who imagines a larger version of herself watch over her from time to time. She is adamant to get rid of this illusion, and believes the perfect backflip will do just that.
At first two and a half hours of film can seem daunting, can we sit still for that long? But Ishii leaves the viewer wanting more, wanting to explore the next chapter of the character they identify with.
The Taste of Tea
director KATSUHITO ISHII
year 2004
director of photography KOSUKE MATUSHIMA
cast TADANOBU ASANO, TAKAHIRO SATO, MAYA BANNO, SATOMI TEZUKA and TOMOKAZU MIURA
words PRIYESH PATEL
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