Cherry Blossoms

Is it possible to spend your life with someone and not really know who they are? Cherry Blossoms is the story of a rural German Housewife who loves Japanese dance. Her passion centers around a contemporary form known as Butoh. Butoh is an interpretive dance which is performed in white face, and her family does not share her passion. In fact, they are embarrassed by it. So, to avoid criticism, she buries that creative part of herself, and continues to care for her family selflessly.

When Trudi learns that her husband is terminally ill, she keeps the news to herself, and pushes him to take time off to visit their children. When their children resent the unexpected visit, and the sacrifices that they must make in order to spend time with them, Trudi realizes that she doesn’t know her family at all. She also realizes that they, in turn, don’t know her. When Trudi suddenly dies, taking Rudi’s secret with her, Rudi is inconsolable. He embarks on a journey to Japan to re-discover his wife, and fulfill her dream of seeing Mt. Fuji. While there, he meets a young Japanese street performer, who teaches him to love his wife anew, and to find the poetry that was their love.

This film contains three beautiful performances. Hannelore Elsner, as the repressed housewife, Elmar Wepper, as the grieving husband, and Aya Irizuki, as the sensitive street artist who finds a way to reunite Rudi with his beloved wife.

Film is in German, Japanese, and English, with English subtitles

Rating: First Run (For art lovers) Rent It (For everyone else) This slow moving film is visually poetic with images that will stay with you.