The Woodsman and the Rain

Katsu (Koji Yakusho) plays a 60-year-old lumberjack who lives in a small, tranquil village in the Kiso mountains. When a film crew suddenly arrives to shoot a zombie movie, Katsu finds himself unwittingly roped into assisting the production and is increasing frustrated by the pushy crew, especially the young, seemingly spineless director Koichi (Shun Oguri). However, an improbable friendship soon develops between Katsu and Koichi, as Katsu comes to see joy in the filmmaking process, and gradually helps Koichi to recover his sense of self. Soon, their bond inspires an unusual collaboration between the villagers and the film crew. Shûichi Okita's third film is both a sharp satire of the madness of movie-making and a sedately paced, charming character comedy. (British Film Institute (BFI))