Direction:

Hidenori Sugimori

Screenplay:

Hidenori Sugimori

Cinematography:

Hiroshi Machida

Editing:

Hidenori Sugimori

Sound:

Daisuke Hayashi

Costumes:

Michiko Kitamura

Music:

Yoko Kanno

Cast:

UA, Tadanobu Asano, Hikaru, Yutaka Enatsu, Ryuichi Oura, Mayumi Ogawa

Producer:

Naoki Kai, Hiroyuki Negishi

Production:

Artist Film Inc

35mm Colour 115'
Japan 2002

Ryo, whose name means "cool, clear water," runs a public bathhouse with her elderly father in a small provincial town in Western Japan. Ryo is also known as "Rain Woman" because heavy downpours always accompany the important events in her life. Unrelenting rainfall marks the day that both her father and boyfriend die. This also signals the beginning of a new life for her. Finding herself alone, she has to come to terms with her own freedom and extraordinary healing powers. Soon, she encounters Yusaku, a young man obsessed with fire and who, unbeknownst to Ryo, is wanted by the police as an arsonist. Ryo lets him stay in the public bath and offers him the job of supervising the burning logs in the water heater. Brought together by their extreme differences, Ryo and Yusaku begin a compassionate and turbulent relationship, symbolic of the opposing forces of nature which they personify.

He was born in 1960. He has directed over 100 TV programs and commercials. He wrote the script for "Woman of Water" inspired by the singer UA, who always brings rain on the days of her recordings, concerts and photo shoots. The script won the International Filmmakers Award at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. "Woman of Water" is his first feature film.

FILMOGRAPHY

1981 Grey (short film)
1986 Sei Sei Sei: The Legend of a Buddhist Priest (TV film)
1988 The Lavender Field (TV film)
2002 Woman of Water