The Island

This somber piece from Japan concerns the life of a family living in isolation on an island. Their days are filled with rigorous routine, much of which consists of hauling water up a rocky surface to sustain their crops. Despite the many hardships, the parents and two boys are content with their lot. This happiness is abruptly ended when the elder son dies, causing his mother to break down and destroy some of the crops. Finally she accepts the tragedy, however, and returns with her patient husband to the never-ending routine.