A Portrait of Solitude
Kodoku no Rinkaku
The story
Takako Miura is 92 years old and has lived alone since her husband died six years ago. Since a few years ago, she has regarded herself as president of an imaginary broadcasting station and announcer of a daily morning radio programe. She can hear voices which can’t be heard by anybody except her. It’s an imaginary world only for her. She usually sings old Chinese songs on the radio. However, she can’t get any thanks or reward from anyone, which annoys her. One stormy night, she makes her last speech with anger on the radio about a story which she believes to be true. The next morning she gives up waiting for presents and leaves her room ... Her granddaughter films this documentary from her personal viewpoint. „My Grandmother sings old songs and recounts her life story on her imaginary radio programe but nobody understands her. The only thing that I can do is to listen to her“.