John Williams

Professor

English Studies

Firefly Dreams 　「一番美しい夏」

Ichiban Utsukushii Natsu (Firefly Dreams), was shot in Horaicho in Aichi Prefecture, and in Nagoya in the summer of 1999 and released in cinemas in Japan in 2001. Written and directed by John Williams

Story

Naomi is a rebellious teenage girl whose parents are getting divorced. Her father sends her to live with his sister in a remote hot-spring town in the mountains (Yuya Onsen.). Her aunt suggests she visit a distant relative, Mrs. Koide, who Naomi loved when she was a little girl. But Mrs. Koide has dementia and is slowly slipping back into her own past. Over the course of a brief summer Naomi learns Mrs. Koide’s secrets. She too was a rebel when she was young, but in much more troubled times. Naomi bonds with Mrs. Koide and slows down to the pace of rural life. She experiences loss and grief and eventually becomes an adult.

The film, originally shot on celluloid, and is now available on Amazon Prime, Japan. (Search for 一番美しい夏)

Film Festival Prizes:

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, 2001, NETPAC Special Mention

Hawaii International Film Festival, 2001, Best Feature Film, Golden Maile

Cinemanila, 2001, Best Feature Film (Lino Brocka Award)

Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival 2001, Fipresci Prize

Cinequest San Jose, 2002, Audience Award

Vesoul International Festival 2003, Nominee for Golden Wheel

Infinity Film Festival, Italy, 2002, Signia Award

Seattle International Film Festival, Nominated for Best Director