To the Ends of the Earth

(Español / English) Abstract Español Hasta los confines de la Tierra es una película que acompaña a Yoko, una joven reportera japonesa y su equipo durante la filmación de un documental de viajes para al TV japonesa en Uzbekistán, en el corazón de Asia Central. La película sorprende a cada rato con las inesperadas peripecias de la protagonista y con sus cambios de registro, sin perder nunca su coherencia. [link omitted per site rules] ---------------------- Abstract English To the Ends of the Earth is a film that accompanies Yoko, a young Japanese reporter and her team during the filming of a travel documentary for Japanese TV in Uzbekistan, in the heart of Central Asia. The film surprises at all times with the unexpected adventures of the protagonist and with the changes of her register, without ever losing her coherence. ------------------------ Reseña Español Yoko, una joven reportera japonesa (Atsuko Maeda, actriz y cantante pop) y su equipo recorren Uzbekistán para un programa de viajes de la TV japonesa. La película de Kishoyi Kurosawa tiene bastante de inclasificable. Es un drama, pero con momentos de comedia, algunos de ellos perturbadores, con Yoko pasando por varias situaciones incómodas y a veces insólitas. Hasta los confines… es una película impredecible que sorprende a cada rato con los avatares de su protagonista, con sus consiguientes y necesarios cambios de registro. A pesar de ello, la película conserva su coherencia de principio a fin, en parte por la figura de su protagonista, frágil pero curiosa y resuelta. Ciertos choques culturales, las diferencias de criterio con su equipo, su férreo y tenaz profesionalismo, las vocaciones postergadas y los sueños de Yoko se suman a un registro casi documental de las exóticas locaciones por las que transitan que nunca cae en el pintoresquismo. --------------------------- English Review Yoko, a young Japanese reporter (Atsuko Maeda, actress and pop singer) and her team travel to Uzbekistan for a Japanese TV travel program. Kishoyi Kurosawa's film is quite unclassifiable. It's a drama, but with moments of comedy, some of them disturbing, with Yoko going through various awkward and sometimes unusual situations. Up to the End ... is an unpredictable film that surprises at all times with the vicissitudes of the protagonist of it, with the consequent and necessary changes of registry of her. Despite this, the film retains its coherence from beginning to end, in part because of the figure of her protagonist, fragile but curious and determined. Certain cultural clashes, the differences of opinion with her team, her iron and tenacious professionalism, the postponed vocations and Yoko's dreams add to an almost documentary record of the exotic locations through which they pass that never falls into the picturesqueness.

Some parts didn't really make sense, like the final stretch where she escapes from the police for no reason. A recurring fear in the main character that never really shows motives, although it's taken as a cliché that all Japanese are like that abroad. But even so, most of this film simply but neatly constructs an absorbing character study. Certainly it depends a lot on the amount in which you can identify with the protagonist, but I feel that even if you do not make a connection with her, her journey is understandable and I think that more than one can feel sympathy for her feeling of unease in a foreign place, where everyone looks at you and identify you as an outsider. It doesn't ground all the concepts it develops, and some argument lines feel artificial for the sake of drama (the fire in Tokyo, and her concern for her boyfriend) but stays steady most of the time, and flows gracefully if not effortlessly.