A 52-year-old seaweed farmer hears one piano piece and decides to conquer Mount Everest with his fingers.
In the Ariake Sea of Saga, Kyushu, a man who has spent his life as a nori (seaweed) fisherman is deeply moved one day upon hearing Franz Liszt's masterpiece, La Campanella. Determined to play the piece himself, he defies the objections of those around him and throws himself into intense practice. At 52 years old, he begins a serious challenge to master one of the most notoriously difficult compositions—even professional pianists hesitate to take it on.
Acting
Ihara's hands tell the whole story before he touches a key.
Score
Liszt weaponized—every wrong note hurts, every right one soars.
Cinematography
Grey sea meets black keys; salt-stained fingers on ivory.
Director
Kazumi Suzuki
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Tsuyoshi Ihara trained six hours daily for eight months; director Suzuki banned CGI for all hand shots, making him play every visible note.
The Ariake Sea's actual nori farmers reportedly petitioned to be extras after filming—several now take adult piano lessons, creating an accidental documentary wave in Saga Prefecture.
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