The Inland Sea (1991)

In 1971, author and film scholar Donald Richie published a poetic travelogue about his explorations of the islands of Japan’s Inland Sea, recording his search for traces of a traditional way of life as well as his own journey of self-discovery. Twenty years later, filmmaker Lucille Carra undertook a parallel trip inspired by Richie’s by-then-classic book, capturing images of hushed beauty and meeting people who still carried on the fading customs that Richie had observed. Interspersed with surprising detours—a visit to a Frank Sinatra-loving monk, a leper colony, an ersatz temple of plywood and plaster—and woven together by Richie’s narration as well as a score by celebrated composer Toru Takemitsu, The Inland Sea is an eye-opening voyage and a profound meditation on what it means to be a foreigner.

Released Dec. 1, 1991 56 min None+

Genres: Documentary

Keywords: tmdb.woman-director, tmdb.travelogue, mdblist.one-actor, imdb.black-and-white-segment, imdb.inland-sea, imdb.temple, imdb.reference-to-audrey-hepburn + 12 more, imdb.reference-to-frank-sinatra, imdb.shrine, imdb.calligraphy, imdb.leper, imdb.f-rated, imdb.tokyo-japan, imdb.monk, imdb.coffee-shop, imdb.hiroshima-japan, tmdb.japan, aspectratio.1-66-1, aspectratio.1-33-1