For 15 years, director Sumikawa followed Masayo Mukaida, living with her husband outside the remote village of Taimagura, on the slopes of Mount Hayachine. Their life is demanding but rewarding. Since 1954 they have tilled the soil, following the seasons, listening to nature’s messages: blooming magnolias mean a good harvest, a cuckoo’s song heralds winter’s snows. She calls herself ‘Grandma Taimagura’ and, though her nearest neighbours are 10 km away, they call her Grandma too. Since they got electricity, her husband Kumezou enjoys watching parliamentary debates and sumo wrestling, while Masayo prefers the radio, which won’t distract her from her work. But when Kumezou dies, Masayo finds the hard work begins to seem pointless. Beautifully shot and skilfully edited, Sumikawa’s film celebrates a stillness threatened by modern life, but still quintessentially Japanese.