Pekin Watermelon

Pekin Watermelon - 2003-06-03 Director: Nobuhiko Obayashi Japan, 1990, Color, 135 minutes Pekin Watermelon is a multi-dimensional film that, beneath its sharp comedy, offers a deep social perspective on issues. The story, based on real events, revolves around a fruit seller and his relationship with several impoverished Chinese students. The fruit seller, named Shunzo, has a moderate income, but his life is suddenly disrupted by the arrival of these students in the city. Initially, Shunzo approaches these 'foreigners' with simple acts of kindness, but gradually this acquaintance spirals into a phase called 'Chinese Madness,' which is an unusual obsession that endangers his health, puts his business at risk of bankruptcy, and brings his family to the brink of collapse. Director Obayashi, following the style of the master filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu, depicts Japanese family life with meticulous attention to detail and observation, reflecting broader philosophical beliefs and societal issues. Pekin Watermelon is particularly sensitive to the traditional relationship between China and Japan, and through the interactions of its characters and the implications of their dialogues, it touches on themes such as cultural inferiority complexes and feelings of responsibility due to wartime invasions, which are very fresh and articulate. These systematic and purposeful allusions gradually accumulate and extend to later problems, such as the unsettling feeling of dissatisfaction and the sense of emptiness that arises in Japanese society due to its unprecedented economic boom. Obayashi showcases a particular sharpness using social humor typical of contemporary Japanese cinema, which is worth seeing.