Mori, The Artist’s Habitat
Morikazu Kumagai (aka Mori) was born in 1880 and became one of Japan's most celebrated 20th-century painters. His gift for painting was recognized very early on in his career but the opinions of critics and fame were never his priority. His sporadic output didn't result in sales. He didn't own a house and survived with friends' help until the age of 50 when his paintings began to sell and he could at last support his family. The Emperor was full of admiration for a Kumagai painting he saw at the prestigious Nika Art Exhibition. This brought recognition to Kumagai who was known as the "hermetic sage with a paintbrush" but Kumagai twice turned down the Emperor's Japanese order of Culture award. The reason he gave for declining these awards was that he was already receiving too many visitors. True to his reclusive nature, he barely left his 60-square-meter home for 30 years. He didn't have to because he observed animals and plants in his little garden. This movie is based on an actual account; it depicts one day in his twilight years when he never left home.
Director
Shuichi Okita
Cast
Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kilin Kiki
Release Date
31-01-2019
Language
Japanese
Run Time
99 minutes
