Yudo: The Way of the Bath
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Film description
There is nothing better than a warm bath on a cold evening, especially when the ritual is accompanied by conversations with public bathhouse regulars and ends with a glass of cold milk. It is a gulp of fresh air purifying the body and the soul. No wonder that when a small-town bathhouse, run by the same family for many years, comes under threat, it causes quite a stir in the local community. In Japan, public bathhouses and hot springs are about more than just bathing – this is the realm of yudo, the ritual way of hot water.
Just like the art of flower arrangements, calligraphy, or the way of the tea yudo is characterized by its own set of values and specific rules. They determine the ritual of the bath which, through immersing oneself in the hot springs water, should bring about physical and spiritual harmony. Masayuki Suzuki's comedy shows the importance of hot springs in the life of the Japanese and its role in building social ties, and explains the fascinating philosophy of yudo. The choice of this film is a callback to last year's feel-good movies section – the screening of "Yudo" will certainly be a soothing, relaxing experience, and a truly warm picture for a cold November evening!
text:
Łukasz Mańkowski
Masayuki Suzuki
Film and TV director, known for a number of cinema blockbusters, including the "Great Teacher Onizuka" series. In making "Yudo," Suzuki was helped by Kundo Koyama, artist and writer cultivating the traditions of yudo in Japan, author of the script for the Oscar-winning film "Departures."
1998-2013 Shomuni (serial tv)
1999 GTO: The Movie
2001 Sutaa no koi (serial tv)
2015 Hero
2019 Masukarêdo hoteru / Masquerade Hotel
2021 Masukarêdo naito / Masquerade Night
2022 Rajiēshon Hausu / Radiation House
2022 Yudo: droga kąpieli / Yudo / Yudo: the Way of the Bath
