While struggling with accepting the death of her only son,she learned about service of the funeral home that can restore a deceased person as a humanoid for only 49 days.
In the film, the idea of the "49 days" (shijūku-nichi) is presented. This idea has a special significance for Japanese people.
It refers to the Buddhist service where, following the funeral, the ashes of the deceased will be kept for 49 days at home instead of immediately being put away in the tomb.
In Japan, the spirit of the deceased is believed to remain in this world during those 49 days. The period is meant for the spirit to find peace with itself, while the remaining family members remember the deceased as they live alongside them.
I also feel that the period of 49 days is meant for those that have been left behind to come to terms with the fact of their having lost a loved one. Once the ashes have been placed in the tomb, the deceased no longer exists in this world.
< Cast >
Sei Ando
Shinji Matsubayashi
Rakunosuke Yanai
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Director of photography: Akiyoshi Yoshida
Lighting director: Hiroyuki Urada
1st assistant camera: Nobuo Ushimaki
D.I.T.: Tetsuhiro Itai
D.I.T. assistant: Tetsuhiro Michigami
Best boy: Masaru Masuda
Sound recording engineer: Tomotsugu Kawamura
Boom operator: Shinya Hasegawa
Driver: Hiroshi Oike / Satoshi Suzuki
Hair & Make: Hiroyuki Ohmori / Tomoka Fukuma
Hair & Make assistant: Nao Akada
Wardrobe stylist: Hiromi Sugiura
Casting: Yu Matsui
Mika Ishino / Ryo Toyoda / Sakiko Hagio
Colorist: Masahiro Ishiyama / Osamu Haga
VFX: Chihiro Hagiwara
C G: Taiki Miyano
Editor: Hayato Ando
Assistant director: Atsuki Ito
Production manager: Mao Suzuki / Shogo Honda
Produced by: Tadashi Nagoya
Written and Directed by: Hayato Ando (P.I.C.S. management)