From Mr Six to Tokyo Story – the best Asian films about growing up and getting old
- Directors Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu and Im Kwon-taek have all explored the topic of ageing and death in their films
- From tear-jerkers to comedies, here are 10 of the best Asian films about getting old
Cinema is filled with stories about journeys, and none more so than the long, slow march towards death that each of us must travel. Ageing and mortality are inevitable facts of life and, as such, are universal themes that have inspired many wonderful films over the decades.
Here are 10 of the Post’s favourite Asian films about growing up and getting old.
1. Ikiru (1952)
Best known for his sweeping samurai epics, Akira Kurosawa’s unsung masterpiece is a contemporary story about an ageing, unassuming civil servant (Takashi Shimura), who is determines to get a playground built before he dies. At once a scathing satire of bureaucratic ineffectuality, Ikiru (“To Live”) is also a heartbreaking story about mortality and the quest for life’s true meaning.
2. Tokyo Story (1953)