6th Okinawa International Movie Festival

Director Michihito Fujii’s inventive feature film Oh! Father was shown as a Special Invitation film of the Okinawa International Movie Festival tonight. The audience embraced Fujii’s original story, which combines family drama with mystery whodunit and detective thriller.

Yukio (Masaki Okada) is a tall, handsome, kind and well rounded high school student. And he has reason to be expert in numerous fields even as a young man, he has four fathers. Apparently Yukio’s mother was dating all four men and when she got pregnant none of them wanted to end their relationship. Thus all four moved in and helped raise little Yukio. Each has his own specialty, the university professor can help him in school, the gym teacher can train him in self-defense, and so on.

The story opens as Yukio’s wannabe girlfriend Taeko (Shioli Kutsuna) starts following him around and pretty soon they are team, with Yukio’s boyhood friend Masuji (Kento Kaku) who Yukio keeps from harm’s way.

But eventually hoods catch up with the trio. Yukio sees a politically-motivated robbery set-up in the gambling house of underworld boss Tondabayashi (Akira Emoto). And in addition a different school friend of his goes missing. Could there be a connection?

Made with a sweetness that combines a loving alternative lifestyle family with a youth story, the film portrays four men who care about their son deeply, but are never embarrassed by their unusual situation. The work is also a strong character study of Yukio as a kind and forthright young man who has been guided by a number of loving hands.

As the plot thickens Yukio must rely on the wisdom his fathers taught him, logic and bravery to weave his way through political intrigue, underworld thuggery and deadly crime.

Oh! Father’s imaginative concept, finely drawn characters and intriguing plot drew in the audiences in Okinawa and received a rousing reception at the Festival screening.