Akeji, the Breath of the Mountain

Deep in the mountains in the heart of Himuro Valley, Akeji and his companion Asako live sheltered from the world, in a retreat with a thatched roof, among the animals and the spirits of nature. Life flows without limits of space or time. Master Akeji, a renowned artist, is descended from a line of samurais and well versed in the sacred arts of the tea ceremony, the sabre, and calligraphy. This contemplative film reaches out to the senses, following the rhythm of the elements — water, fire, earth, and wind — and the cycle of seasons and time, fundamental themes of Japanese thought. This magnificent immersion in the world of an artist in total harmony with nature poetically portrays the cycle of life. (Cinema Public)