Child by Children

Section: Competition
Directed by: Koji Hagiuda


Kodomo no Kodomo
Japan, 2008

Dir.: Koji Hagiuda
Scr.: Wakako Miyashita (based on the manga by Akira Saso)
Phot.: Yoshihiro Ikeuchi
Ed.: Yuji Oshige
Music: Shugo Tokumaru
Cast: Haruna Amari, Risako Ito, Kumiko Aso, Yoshiko Miyazaki, Yuya Kawamura
Format: 35 mm
Color
122 mins
Language: Japanese voice, English subtitle, Hungarian voice over
www.bittersend.co.jp

This film illustrates an endearing yet shocking rebellion by some fifth grade students. The adults cannot understand the children at all, let alone be able to see the essence of the situation. Facing a pregnancy, Haruna and her friends try to solve the problem without any help from an adult, and in doing so, uncover the pretentious and self-centered thinking of grown-ups.

The director, Koji Hagiuda, criticizes the twisted way of thinking that adults have, and talks about how broad the world of children is, contrary to what grown-ups usually expect it to be. Sure enough, the children’s way of thinking is not always correct, but this does not matter to the director. No matter what the results are, children try to hold on to their own world, which is unattainable and long forgotten by adults. Hagiuda convincingly tells the story with its shocking and sensitive issues.

See also:
	3 women		9 mm
	The Happiest Girl in the World		Hunger
	I Can't Live Without You		NORTH
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