Firefly Dreams

2001
7.1| 1h45m| en
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Naomi, a seventeen year-old city brat from Nagoya, finds her world turned upside down after the breakup of her parents' marriage. Packed off to the country, she reluctantly works at her aunt's inn until being asked to care for Mrs. Koide, an aging relative with Alzheimer's disease. At first, Naomi dislikes looking after the old woman, but over the course of the summer, the two develop an extraordinary friendship that transcends age and experience. The debut feature from international filmmaker John Williams (Midnight Spin), Firefly Dreams stars veteran Japanese actress Yoshie Minami (Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru) and newcomer Maho Ukai in a critically acclaimed performance.

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Also starring Yoshie Minami

Reviews

Helloturia I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.
Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Hayleigh Joseph This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.
Brenda The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
youmumiller A young girl, Naomi is a typical bad girl of city. One day, she gets to go to her relative's home in countryside. Then she comes to take care of an old woman, Ms. Koide. Naomi is under 20 years old, so she must not drink or smoke but Ms. Koide does not blame her. Therefore she can behave as she is in front of Ms. Koide. Naomi comes to learn many things through the life with her. This is not only a story of one girl's growing but also an old woman's last story. The scene of Japan's countryside is also beautiful. You may get a good feeling through this movie.
ebiros2 This movie sets its story in two opposing contrasts one about urban life and country living, and another about young and old. Yumi, lives a shallow life like many teenage girls living in urban Japan until her father sends her to country side where their relatives live for the summer. She befriends Ms Koide, an old lady who used to be an actress.Removed from the urban life, and seeing the contrast between her who has whole life ahead of herself, and an elderly Ms Koide who has nothing to look forward to in life, Yumi begins to put things into perspective about her own life.This realization comes very gradually, so the movie seems slow, but the story is told in a very beautiful way. Almost all the people living around her in the city is very selfish, people living in the country aren't as privileged, but are more caring. Yumi gets a chance to reassess her life between the two opposing environment.Kind of a coming of age story for an urban girl, but also has message for all of us about what life is all about.Highly recommended.
mel2surf Firefly Dreams took me right into the story,and the dreamy pace/visual beauty,and heartfelt emotions added to the charm.Naomi's journey through pain and loss is very charmingly portrayed here,and all the characters are well placed.Nothing seems forced or overly contrived..more like you are in the locations and absorbing Naomi's everyday life,and the character of Mrs. Koide,the old woman/ex actress will warm your heart.it's VERY refreshing to see films like this,where you are not distracted by noise,gun fights,explosions and special effects.Mr.Williams has created a real gem.Visually and emotionally lush! See it!
henri_aqua Firefly Dreams is a movie about the friendship between a young teenage girl and an old Lady who she visits in her summer holidays. Naomi is a spoiled brat and send by her father to the countryside, after her mother runs away. There she works at the restaurant of her aunt and uncle. Close lives also Mrs Koide with whom she used to play when she was a kid. From there the story unfolds. I have to praise almost all aspects of the movie. The plot is well thought and all characters are believable and very interesting even the ones who just appear in a few scenes. The photography is marvellous, the landscape is breathtaking and rounds up the plot very nicely. The aesthetic is very different from recent Japanese movies I saw (e.g. from Kitano). It is violent free and it is set mainly in a rural area. Maybe this is so because the director is English and chose a different approach for portraying Japanese life, but this is just a speculation. The acting is great and for me this is the first time I think I learned something about normal Japanese everyday life through a movie. Surely the development of Naomi, how she grows up - and indeed has to grow up - through friendship and also sorrow, is the driving force of the movie. The movie has a slow pace, so if you are an action-movie fan, don't go. Everybody else: you will not regret it!