Post war Hiroshima: It's been four years since the last time she visited her hometown. Takako faces the after effects of the A-bomb when she travels around the city to call on old friends.Post war Hiroshima: It's been four years since the last time she visited her hometown. Takako faces the after effects of the A-bomb when she travels around the city to call on old friends.Post war Hiroshima: It's been four years since the last time she visited her hometown. Takako faces the after effects of the A-bomb when she travels around the city to call on old friends.
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
- Kôji
- (scenes deleted)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film was sponsored by Japan Teachers' Union.
- Quotes
Toshiko, former pupil: [Takako is visiting her in a church, where she lies critically ill with radiation sickness] Ah, Teacher.
Takako Ishikawa: You still remember me.
Toshiko, former pupil: I didn't at first but it came to me.
Takako Ishikawa: Have you live here all this time?
Toshiko, former pupil: Yes, for six years. The priest saved me the day of the bomb. I've been here ever since.
Takako Ishikawa: And your mother and father?
Toshiko, former pupil: Everyone was killed. And I decided to stay here. Here I can say prayers for them. I ask God to grant us peace forever.
Takako Ishikawa: That is a very good thing to do.
Toshiko, former pupil: Now I understand that war is the greatest evil. War is hell.
Toshiko, former pupil: [continues] Teacher, will you sing for me?
Takako Ishikawa: What shall I sing?
Toshiko, former pupil: The one you always sang at lunch. About the red ship.
Takako Ishikawa: You remember very well!
Toshiko, former pupil: I want to hear it just once more.
Takako Ishikawa: Alright, then...
Takako Ishikawa: [starts to sing] Dear Mother, go to sleep and don't cry. Father will come home tomorrow in a red boat.
Toshiko, former pupil: Is it nice on your island?
Takako Ishikawa: Beautiful. I wish you could visit me. The sun rises out of the eastern sea, and sets in the west.
Toshiko, former pupil: I'd love to, but I don't think I will. I'm going to die. But I don't mind because I'll go and join my mother and father.
[turns away, folds her hands on her chest in prayer]
Children of Hiroshima follows a kindergarten teacher Takako, as she returns to Hiroshima after its bombing and meets with her former pupils, six years after teaching them. Only a handful remain. The story does not follow some basic movie template. Children are the theme of the story, rather than indicators of major plot points, we really get to know the people Takako visits, as we learn the stories of their past and the life they live as a result of the bombing. There are many great scenes, one where a plane flies overhead, and although historically, we know that Hiroshima isn't attacked again, we get a feeling of how frightened the residents must feel.
It's amazing how prolific Kaneto Shindo has been, with a total of 43 directing credits, and many more writing credits. He even has a film in post-production right now, at the age of 95.
This movie has been released into the public domain, so it can be legally downloaded off of the web.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Atom-Bombed Children in Hiroshima
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 37 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1