The Inland Sea
In 1971, author and film scholar Donald Richie released a poetic travelogue about his expeditions of the islands of Japan's Inland Sea, tape-recording his search for traces of a conventional way of living along with his very own trip of self-discovery. Twenty years later, filmmaker Lucille Carra took on a parallel journey influenced by Richie's by-then-classic publication, recording images of hushed appeal and also meeting people that still carried on the fading custom-mades that Richie had actually observed. Sprinkled with unusual detours-- a see to a Frank Sinatra-- caring monk, a leper colony, an ersatz holy place of plywood and plaster-- and woven together by Richie's narration in addition to a score by celebrated composer Toru Takemitsu, The Inland Sea is a mind-blowing voyage and an extensive meditation on what it indicates to be a foreigner.