Asian Film Festival of Dallas 2010

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“That Summer, we had a real adventure!”

Subaru (Kuwashiro) and his little sister Shizuku (the adorable Kitamura) must stay with their estranged father Daiji (Funakoshi)  after their mother is hospitalized.  The pressures on the kids are numerous:   their mom’s prognosis is unknown;  their father, a country veterinarian, is distracted by work and cannot seem to realize the kids need him;  and the move from the big city to their new and beautiful natural surroundings is jarring.  Shizuku seems to be dealing with the change better than her brother.  While Subaru is uncomfortable with the unfamiliar setting and an unopened letter from his mother, Shizuku finds the new environment fascinating, and soon bonds with a puppy that resembles a baby wolf.

THE TALE OF ULULU’S WONDERFUL FOREST is a film that flawlessly combines emotional family drama and outdoor adventure.  The kids’ search for the puppy’s mother, a legendary wolf, and their time with the fun and informative extended family – their nature photographer aunt and an easygoing ranch hand – create a spellbinding excursion for children and adults.

Yes, ULULU is family-friendly!  Nothing scarier than questions of displacement, loss and loneliness.  It is an endearing, good-natured, all-ages alternative to samurai, ninja and yakuza.

Director

Makoto Naganuma

Cast

Sara Kitamura, Takaaki Kuwashiro, Eiichiro Funakoshi

Country

Japanese

Language

English Subtitles, Japanese

Alternate Titles

ウルルの森の物語

Release Date

2009

Runtime

120 minutes

Exhibition Format

Digibeta