The Asadas

 

 

The Asadas

 The Asadas is a 2020 Japanese movie that only made it to France in 2023. It's the story of a young photographer who is bored with the expectation of photography. He's talented, but unsure, and more importantly, he does not see the purpose in photographing what people expect to be photographed. I won't say much more so as not to spoil, but the movie is essentially in two parts. The first, rather light-hearted, focuses on his struggles as an artist and the unusual way that he manages to break the mold of expected photography. The second, deeper and more somber focuses on the aftermath of the Fukushima earthquake when he goes up there as a volunteer. Photography is front and center in both parts of the movie, yet at the same time it's really a movie about the meaning of life. It's a really great movie, and even more enjoyable and thoughtful if you're a photographer. Oh, and it's semi-biographical.