
Sayo and Keiji have eloped to New Zealand to marry, away from the interference of Keiji's disapproving mother in Japan. On their honeymoon, they have the freedom to express their love away from her repressive influence. However, on what should be the happiest of days, Keiji is drowned and Sayo must, by custom, return to live with her cruel and selfish mother-in-law.
Directed by Niki Caro, Memory & Desire leans on a strong ensemble — Eugene Nomura, Yuri Kinugawa, Brenda Kendall — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1998.
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Captives of the very relationships that define and sustain them, nine women resiliently meet the travails and disappointments of life.
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