Writer-Director’s Statement

This year is 2021, marking the 90th anniversary of the 1931 September 18th Incident. The trauma of WW2 has been passed down through generations, and the narratives of this war in both China and Japan remain deeply divided. While one side is immersed in deep-seated hatred, viewing the other as an absolute enemy, the other side indulges in a suspicious "Showa nostalgia," where seemingly harmless "anti-war" sentiments mask a rising undercurrent of "anti-defeat."

Genuine dialogue is rare, and without dialogue, we cannot truly confront the past or build a bridge to the future. This is why, in today's changing world, we must revisit this unforgettable chapter, to remember the past and reconcile for the sake of future.

This is a story of two enemies, but also of two lovers. The “he” and “she” of this story are shaped by the different aspects of the same era. What must they overcome to hold hands once more, as individuals with free-will, and send an unstoppable wish for the future from the desperate depths of history?

"Every second of time was the strait gate through which the Messiah might enter." Should we borrow the concept from Walter Benjamin, the present time we possess bears a Messianic power to redeem the past. This story conveys a wish to re-negotiate our past, a wish that transcends the constraints of time and space.

Telling stories about history may seem obscure in a fast-paced world, but it is deeply rooted in our tradition. Chinese narrative originates from historians documenting events. "Story" in Chinese originally meant "events of the past." Recounting these stories is our profound way of understanding the present and exploring the future.

When we sift through the old records, what emerges are the enduring human spirit and perpetual hope.