Haruka naru Yakusoku

There is a story of a grand love torn apart by the Russo-Japanese War. It is an incomparable love story, crossing the borders of Russia and Japan and surmounting fifty years time. The true story of one woman who continued to wait because she loved, and one woman who said farewell because she loved. And a man who, bolstered by the love of these two women, struggled through the most extreme of circumstances and survived.

Directed by Naruhide Mizuta, Haruka naru Yakusoku leans on a strong ensemble — Hitomi Kuroki, Hiroshi Abe, Mahiru Konno — 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 2006.