The Works and Days

The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin) is a 2020 drama film directed by C. W. Winter and Anders Edström. It is a fictionalized documentation of life as a farmer in the Shiotani Basin in the Japanese prefecture of Kyoto, which has a population of 47.[1] At 480 minutes long, it is one of the longest films ever made. It is the second collaboration between C. W. Winter and Anders Edström after their 2009 film, The Anchorage.

For the ancient Greek poem, see Works and Days.
The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin)
Directed by
  • C. W. Winter
  • Anders Edström
Written by
  • C. W. Winter
  • Tayoko Shiojiri
Produced by
  • Anders Edström
  • C. W. Winter
  • Wang Yue
StarringTayoko Shiojiri
CinematographyAnders Edström
Edited byC. W. Winter
Production
companies
  • General Asst.
  • Silver Salt Films
Distributed byGrasshopper Films
Release dates
  • 1 March 2020 (2020-03-01) (Berlin)
  • 7 April 2021 (2021-16-07) (United States)
Running time
480 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • Japan
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom
LanguageJapanese

Plot

The film, which takes its title from the Ancient Greek farmer's almanac Works and Days, is presented in five chapters as it examines the daily routine of Tayoko, an elderly woman and farmer who lives in the Shiotani Basin. The film follows Tayoko as she cares for and prepares to mourn her husband, Junji, and features excerpts read from Tayoko's real life diaries.[2]

Cast
  • Tayoko Shiojiri as Tayoko
  • Hiroharu Shikata as Hiroharu
  • Ryo Kase as Ryo Sasaki
  • Mai Edström as Mai
  • Kaoru Iwahana as Junji
  • Jun Tsunoda as Kagawa
  • Masahiro Motoki as NPC

Production

The film was inspired by a series of conversations between Winter, Edström and Tayoko, who is Edström's real life mother-in-law.[3] It was shot for a total of 27 weeks, across a 14-month period.[1]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival in the Encounters section, where it won best film,[4] followed by a limited release on July 16, 2021.

Critical response

The film received critical acclaim. Jonathan Cronk, writing for Artforum, described the film as a "comprehensive look at a vanishing way of life... uncommonly poignant, even profound."[2] Mark Peranson for Cinema Scope said that the film was "an utterly confident, magisterial effort that will stand the test of time."[3] Writing for The Film Stage, Glen Heath Jr. described the film as "a monumental vision that earns its runtime."[5]

Some American critics considered it one of the best films of 2021.[6][7][8]

References
  1. "The Works and Days". Grasshopper Film. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  2. "Jordan Cronk on C.W. Winter and Anders Edström's The Works and Days (2020)". www.artforum.com. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  3. "The Land Demands Your Effort: C.W Winter (and Anders Edström) on The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin)". Cinema Scope. 2020-06-23. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  4. Meza, Ed (2020-02-29). "'There Is No Evil' Wins Golden Bear at Berlin Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  5. Jr, Glenn Heath (2021-07-15). "The Works and Days Review: A Monumental Vision That Earns Its Runtime". The Film Stage. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  6. "The Individual Top Tens of 2021". RogerEbert.com. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  7. Nicholson, Ben (December 15, 2021). "2021: the year in documentary". British Film Institute. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  8. "Slant's Best Films of 2021: The Ballots". Slant. December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
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