Scattered Clouds

Melodrama master Mikio Naruse’s final film is one of his most majestically melancholy works, a haunting romantic tragedy about two lost souls drawn together into a seemingly impossible relationship. After her husband is killed in a car crash, a newly widowed woman (Yoko Tsukasa) sees her dreams for the future destroyed—only to find herself increasingly attracted to the man (Yuzo Kayama) responsible for the accident. Composed in gorgeous color widescreen and set to a score by Toru Takemitsu, this fitting capstone to a legendary career is an emotionally and psychologically rich look at the search for healing and human connection in the face of overwhelming grief.