June 11th became one of my historical days.
It's hard to describe, but on that day I got a lot of love, hope and courage from so many people.
"Hotaru," screened at the Cannes, was presented in Tokyo this day.
To tell the truth, this is a different version from the one at the Cannes!
So, it's a newborn film.

One of the audiences said,

"I cannot tell the re-edited part."

"When I watched the original version, I took it a story of one person living strongly, independently." "But, this re-edited version seems a story of living together, supporting each other."

These ten years have changed my ideas.

Before screening, I visited a cemetery for prayer.
We have lost a few members from that crew.
Mr. Kimura, sound recordist.
His wife and daughter escorted me.
Warm and kind family, Mr. Kimura lived with.
And the sound.

The light rain let up, and it cleared off when the film was screened.
At the balmy night in Gotanda, we went to Karaoke, till the morning.
It made me realize a decade passed...
My stamina...
We left at eight in the morning!
We are all energetic forty plus years old!

We welcomed the new morning.
We'll do fine here and there, and meet up again.
Surely.