Dodge Ball in Heat

1992 · 15 min

One day in the hot summer, a high school girl transfers to another school. As she is saying goodbye to her friends at the school gate, she hears the bell at the station. Forty minutes to go until the next train... So began the last dodgeball game on the riverbank. The yellow ball flew over everyone's head. The two boys who liked her look at each other. One of them calls out to her. You've got a sore shoe, haven't you? Then she goes barefoot and hugs the boy. Then the train bell rings. Bye bye!" She waved loudly to everyone with mixed feelings and headed for the station... Everyone has their own sweet and sour memories of their teenage years. This is not a new theme, but it is straightforwardly expressed in a game of dodgeball. The interplay of cuts and camera work is also unique. The relaxed flow of after-school time and the urgency of the impending departure of the train all come together to create an ups and downs in the drama of separation.

Directed by Tomoyuki Furumaya