Aria (2007 Film)
Aria is a 2007 Japanese drama film written and directed by Takushi Tsubokawa. The film, which has a runtime of 105 minutes, explores themes of grief, memory, and personal discovery.
Plot
The story centers on Ota, a piano tuner struggling to cope with the loss of his wife. He remains unable to find the specific beach where she requested her ashes be scattered. While assisting at an antique shop owned by his friend Kojima, Ota encounters Kuzo, an elderly ventriloquist who performs with a puppet named Aria, and his disciple, Senju. Following Kuzo's sudden collapse and subsequent death, the old man leaves Ota with a final request: to locate a piano he had sold to a pawn shop years earlier.
Ota and Senju embark on a journey to find the instrument, viewing the task as a way to honor their late mentor and uncover details about his past. They are joined by a woman who claims to be Kuzo's daughter. Throughout their travels, the trio encounters various individuals who help them navigate their own memories and move toward the future.
Cast
The film features an ensemble cast, including:
- Masayuki Shionoya
- Mariko Takahashi
- Shojiro Kataoka
- Masao Komatsu
- Shimon Yotsuya
- Fujio Tokita
- Shinichiro Uchida
- Toshiyuki Kita
- Koji Wakamatsu
- Hideko Yoshida
- Utae Shoji
- Mickey Curtis