Farewell to Spring

As Kinoshita grew older, his vision became progressively darker. Fond of stories that spanned many years, here he looks at the fate of a generation learning to accept compromise after life held out so much initial promise. Five young men, close friends since high school, reunite in their hometown after having been away for many years. Some have gone onto successful careers; others have pursued their dreams and failed. This brief respite in their hometown brings back their fond memories of earlier, simpler lives, yet all are eventually forced to admit that there really is no going back—the past, no matter how attractive, makes a poor guide for the future. Keiji Sata, a regular in Kinoshita’s films, here gives one of his very best performances.