PRODUCT INFORMATION
Shunzo (Bengal) and his wife Michi (Masako Motai) run a beloved greengrocer on the outskirts of Tokyo. When Lee, a struggling exchange student from China, visits the shop but is unable to afford the produce, an uneasy relationship sprouts. Begrudgingly, Shunzo agrees to lower his prices. Soon, Lee’s classmates begin frequenting the shop. As Shunzo’s generosity sneaks up on him and strains his family’s welfare, he confronts his role as surrogate father to his newfound Chinese friends.
Shot between May - July of 1989 and addressing the historically charged notion of a Sino-Japanese friendship, this lesser-seen masterpiece from director Nobuhiko Obayashi (House) chronicles the end of a decade marked by the Japanese economic bubble and the brutal close of possibility in China. A delicate elegy to the Chinese students of its time, Beijing Watermelon finds Obayashi at his most modern, channeling the style of Yasujiro Ozu, while his experimental flourishes provide the perfect disruption, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks of history.
FEATURES:
Region A Blu-ray
2K restoration
Interview with Chigumi Obayashi
Theatrical Trailer & Teaser
Optional English subtitles
Booklet with new writing by Aaron Gerow
New art by Qiu Jiongjiong of A New Old Play (Kani 010)
Logo design by Leo Mak
English subtitles
Shipping
No, we only ship inside the US
Most orders for in-stock items take less than 24 hours to ship (may take longer if you place an order over the weekend). Pre-orders are shipped as soon as the product arrives. International pre-orders may not come in before the street date. This is especially true with Australian pre-orders.
We only use USPS for all shipments. If there is an issue after your order ships you will need to contact your local post office.
Product
All items that come with a slipcover will say so in the product page.
Pre-orders will not say WITH SLIPCOVER until the product comes in.
Slipcovers are not guaranteed to be in mint condition.
If you can order it, it's either in stock or a pre-order. If an item is out of stock you will not be able to add it to your cart. It's rare but our inventory may not be correct. So in some cases an item may have to be shipped separately.
Other
We do not sell bootlegs. All product arrives from the distributor or is directly from the filmmakers. All items are new and sealed. Some indie titles or signed editions may not have shrinkwrap.