Gondola (1987 Film)

Gondola (Japanese: ゴンドラ, Romaji: Gondora) is a 1987 Japanese drama film directed and written by Chisho Itoh. Produced by Mayako Sadasue with cinematography by Toshihiko Uryu, the film originally premiered in Japan on October 12, 1987, and later received a release on January 28, 2017. The feature has a runtime of 112 minutes and is spoken in Japanese.

Promotional image for the film Gondola — Promotional visual for Gondola (1987).

Plot

Ryo, portrayed by Kenta Sakai, moves from Aomori Prefecture to Tokyo, where he works as a high-rise building window washer using a suspended gondola platform. Meanwhile, an 11-year-old girl named Kagari, played by Yoshiko Uemura, lives in a high-rise apartment with her busy musician mother. Kagari spends her time with her two pet birds. When one of the birds is injured, Ryo—who happens to be cleaning the windows right outside her room—witnesses the situation and assists Kagari by taking her and the injured bird to a veterinary clinic.

Cast and Characters

The film features principal performances from the following cast members:

Yoshiko Uemura as Kagari — Yoshiko Uemura portrays Kagari.

Kenta Sakai as Ryo — Kenta Sakai portrays Ryo.

Midori Kiuchi as Kagari's mother — Midori Kiuchi portrays Kagari's mother.

Yoshiko Uemura as Kagari
Kenta Sakai as Ryo
Midori Kiuchi as Kagari's mother

Sumie Sasaki as Ryo's mother — Sumie Sasaki portrays Ryo's mother.

Hideo Sato as Ryo's father — Hideo Sato portrays Ryo's father.

Hide Demon as Kagari's father — Hide Demon portrays Kagari's father.

Sumie Sasaki as Ryo's mother
Hideo Sato as Ryo's father
Hide Demon as Kagari's father
Hatsunori Hasegawa in an additional supporting role