The Cherry Tree with Gray Blossoms

The poignant focal point for this film is a cherry tree that is over 1400 years old. Beginning with the tree, the director then explores the families and environment around the tree. The editing and music contribute to the sense of a haunting past contained within the solid structure of an ancient natural wonder. Born 1926 in Dalian, China, Sumiko Haneda graduated from Jiyu Gakuen, and joined Iwanami Productions at its founding. She has been involved in over eighty documentaries, starting with Women’s College in the Village (1957). After The Cherry Tree with Gray Blossoms (1977) she took to independent filmmaking, and has made over ten films.