Masaaki Maeda

Second part of an epic drama of war and its effects upon human beings, follows the fortunes of the Godai family from 1935 through Japan's invasion of China. Based on the novels by Jumpei Gomikawa, who also penned The Human Condition.

Set in the time of steam locomotives and covering a period of almost 30 years, this sensitive film tells the story of the wife of a railroad worker in the northern part of Japan. The ferocious local class restrictions work to keep her husband in his place, as does his lack of education.

Summer Vacation tells the story of four teenage students who spend their summer vacation at school – unsupervised and untouched by the outside world.

Tchaou est un petit chiot abandonné et qui part à la recherche de sa maman. En chemin, il rencontre un chien errant, Grodo, qui va lui apprendre à survivre par ses propres moyens et à éviter les dangers que représentent les hommes. Devenus amis, les deux chiens rencontrent Mosso, un chien de salon qui va les accompagner à la recherche de Marie, la mère de Tchaou. Malheureusement, la route sera semée d'embûches car Tchaou est pris en chasse sempiternellement par "l'homme mystérieux", qui ambitionne de faire vivre à Tchaou mille dangers dans le seul but de l'endurcir et d'en faire un chien de combat qui pourrait lui amener la fortune et la gloire.