Screen Play

The story of young lovers, thwarted by their families, but who find happiness briefly before dramatic and tragic deaths. Sound familiar? The story is, in effect, the same as Romeo and Juliet, but is here told within its own tradition of Japanese drama: Kabuki. Most of the action takes place in traditional Kabuki fashion: screens revolve to indicate changes in scenery, and a narrator provides the narrative both vocally and using British Sign Language. The lovers appear to have reached safety and happiness when the style of the film changes dramatically. The previously static camera, which was monitoring dramatic action taking place on a stage, now adopts a more filmic role, as it moves into closeups and varied shots, and the editing picks up pace.

Academy Award Nominee, Best Short Film (Animated), 1993