Black Ox follows the life of a man, a former hunter-gatherer who loses his connection to the gods of nature and to his spirituality in the process of becoming a farmer and becoming 'Japanese' during the nation's period of westernization in the Meiji Period.
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Set in 19th-century rural Japan, this film portrays the life of a man who transitions from hunting and gathering in nature to farming as he experiences changes that come with the flow of time. As he adapts to changing times, the protagonist encounters a black ox, and as seasons pass, their relationship evolves into a companionship. The film's progression is reminiscent of the Ten Ox Herding Pictures of Zen Buddhism, a series of ten illustrations that use the taming of a wild ox as metaphor for the path to enlightenment. The director seems to have drawing inspiration from the paintings to create this film. The impressive black-and-white imagery created by the director was partially shot on 70 mm film, and there is a sense of wonder in watching Lee Kang-Sheng transformed into another element of nature. (Sung MOON)
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ASIAN SHADOWS | maria@chineseshadows.com
TSUTA Tetsuichiro
