Catholics love rituals. Sacraments that mark our milestones. Ashes on our foreheads that remind us of time. Candles that bless our throats and palms that speak of glory.
The Japanese love rituals too. Tea ceremonies that stop time in its tracks. Archers who lose themselves and find the target. And, most beautiful of all, the ritual at death when the corpse is cleansed, dressed, and blessed in front of the family before putting it in the coffin.
Can you imagine making a sweet, life-affirming, and totally entertaining movie out of the Japanese ceremony of encoffinment?
Yes, the Japanese movie Departures (2008) is a wonderful story about a young man who can’t find work as a cellist and in order to support his family, apprentices as an encoffineer. And yes, (or you wouldn’t read it here) you can be sure that it is an upper, an inspiration, and a sacrament of a movie that will bless you as you watch.
Just as a funeral Mass is for the living, so the ritual of encoffinment is for the loved ones of the deceased, one that is from beginning to end a commemoration of their life together.
Departures won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009.
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This sounds amazing Mike, my netflix queue grows longer and happily so!
Thanks, Fran. And the thing is, the movie is funny too. Mikey likes funny.
Adding that one to my Q also. Thanks, Mike. Love your movie reviews.
Have you seen Win Win with Paul Giamatti? A little gem I almost missed. Would enjoy hearing your thoughts on that one.
Missed it, Kelly. It’s on my Q. Thanks!
Mike—
It is really amazing that we found the same movie and watched it at about the same time! I absolutely loved it…it made me smile and fight back tears. Movies that can make me laugh AND cry are always among my favorites! I found it to be a moving story that addresses the issues of respecting the sanctity of life, as well as each other’s differences, and loving one another not just in spite of those difference, but even because of them! Another sub-theme that struck me was the that the main character seemed to approach his preparation of bodies with the same sensitivity and artistry as he did his cello-playing. He was almost creating a different kind of music of the soul with his encoffineering, and in doing so, he honestly felt he had found his life’s calling. Beautiful film…I highly recommend it!
You say it just right, Cherry. And faster!