Short Synopsis

Hit Japanese drama focusing on the troubled relationship between two brothers.

Review

Manabu Yazaki had big dreams of success in Tokyo, until he loses all his money, his social standing and his family, and is forced to return home to the Hokkaido heartland in midwinter. There his elder brother Takeo manages a stable for Banei horseracing, a sleigh-pulling race unique to Hokkaido. Their long overdue reunion exposes the distance and estrangement between the two brothers. At first Takeo refuses to let his brother meet their aged mother living in a nursing home. However, while he watches Manabu interact with the quirky characters working in the stables and the horses, as they face the challenges of racing on a daily basis, a new understanding soon develops between the two brothers.

The unjustly neglected Kichitaro Negishi began his filmmaking career in the 80s with some of the most interesting films of the era, including Crazed Fruit (81) and Distant Thunder (81). This touching tale of sibling rivalry and forgiveness boasts some of the best talents working in the industry today, and won a raft of awards at the Tokyo International Film Festival, including the Grand Prix, Best Director, Best Lead Actor and the Audience Award.

Jasper Sharp