Love Letter (1995 film)

Love Letter is a 1995 Japanese romantic film written, directed and edited by Shunji Iwai in his debut feature film and starring Miho Nakayama. The majority of the film was shot on the island of Hokkaidō, primarily in Otaru. It achieved great success at the box office in Japan and gained popularity in other East Asian countries, particularly South Korea. Remarkably, it was one of the first Japanese films to be shown in South Korean cinemas since World War II, garnering 645,615 admissions and ranking as the tenth highest-grossing general release of the year.

Shunji Iwai collaborated with cinematographer Noboru Shinoda, resulting in a film celebrated for its evocative winter cinematography. Pop singer Miho Nakayama was cast in the dual roles of Hiroko Watanabe and Itsuki Fujii, while teenager Miki Sakai made her movie debut and won the 'Newcomer of the Year' Award at the Japanese Academy Awards for her portrayal of a young Itsuki Fujii. Etsushi Toyokawa and Takashi Kashiwabara played the main male roles as Akiba Shigeru and the male Itsuki Fujii, respectively.

The American distribution rights for the film were acquired by Fine Line Features, which released it in theaters under the new title When I Close My Eyes.

Plot
Hiroko Watanabe, living in Kobe, loses her fiancé, Itsuki Fujii, in a mountain climbing accident. Two years later, on the day of Itsuki's memorial ceremony, Hiroko looks through his high school yearbook and finds an address under his name. She writes a letter to him and receives a reply from a woman named Itsuki Fujii, who bears a striking resemblance to Hiroko. The movie alternates between Hiroko and Female Itsuki as they exchange letters.

Female Itsuki, who works at the public library, is suffering from a persistent cold but refuses to seek medical help. It is revealed that her father died of pneumonia when she was in high school. Hiroko visits her friend Akiba and shows him the letter, believing it to be a message from heaven. Akiba confesses his feelings for Hiroko and encourages her to let go of Itsuki. Hiroko continues writing to Itsuki, unaware that the reply she receives is actually from Akiba, who sent the letter asking for proof of Itsuki's identity.

To uncover the truth and help Hiroko move on, Akiba and Hiroko plan a visit to Otaru, Female Itsuki's hometown. However, Female Itsuki is tricked into going to the hospital, where she falls asleep and has a dream about her father's death. Meanwhile, Hiroko and Akiba wait outside Female Itsuki's home but decide to leave a letter for her instead of meeting her in person. They later spot each other briefly before parting ways.

Back home, Hiroko realizes that there were two Itsuki Fujiis in the yearbook and wonders if her physical resemblance to Female Itsuki is the reason why her fiancé fell in love with her. She asks Female Itsuki to confirm this theory and to share her high school memories of Itsuki.

Flashbacks reveal that Male Itsuki was a shy and peculiar boy who shared a name with Female Itsuki. They were often paired together as a couple by their classmates. Female Itsuki failed as a go-between for Sanae, a girl who has a crush on Itsuki. During her mourning period for her father, Female Itsuki is visited by Male Itsuki, who asks her to return a book for him. After her return to school, she discovers that Male Itsuki has transferred, and the book exchange was the last time she saw him.

Female Itsuki visits her old school and learns that Male Itsuki died in the mountain accident two years ago. Hiroko and Akiba visit the mountain where Itsuki died, sharing their memories of him. Meanwhile, Female Itsuki collapses from a fever, and her neglected cold has turned into pneumonia, mirroring her father's fate. Her mother and grandfather brave a snowstorm to get her to the hospital just in time.

In the mountains, Akiba wakes Hiroko to watch the sunrise and points to a peak, symbolically greeting Itsuki. Hiroko cries out to Itsuki, mimicking their first letters. Meanwhile, Female Itsuki wakes up in the hospital.

Some time later, Hiroko and Itsuki continue their correspondence. Itsuki receives a visit from her high school friends, who show her a book Male Itsuki had given her. They discover his name on the checkout card and, on the back, find a sketch he made of Female Itsuki. Instead of writing about the drawing, Female Itsuki decides not to send the letter.

Cast

 * Miho Nakayama as Itsuki Fujii and Hiroko Watanabe
 * Etsushi Toyokawa as Akiba Shigeru
 * Bunjaku Han as female Itsuki Fujii's mother
 * Katsuyuki Shinohara as female Itsuki Fujii's grandfather
 * Miki Sakai as Itsuki Fujii as a young girl
 * Takashi Kashiwabara as male Itsuki Fujii
 * Ranran Suzuki as Sanae Oikawa

Awards
Wins Nominations
 * 1996 Japanese Academy Awards - Newcomer of the Year (Miki Sakai)
 * 1996 Japanese Academy Awards - Newcomer of the Year (Takashi Kashiwabara)
 * 1996 Japanese Academy Awards - Most Popular Performer (Etsushi Toyokawa)
 * 1996 Blue Ribbon Awards - Best Actress (Miho Nakayama)
 * 1996 Kinema Junpo Awards – Best Film (Shunji Iwai)
 * 1995 Hochi Film Awards - Best Actress (Miho Nakayama)
 * 1995 Hochi Film Awards - Best Supporting Actor (Etsushi Toyokawa)
 * 1995 Toronto International Film Festival - Audience Award
 * 1996 Japanese Academy Awards - Best Film
 * 1996 Japanese Academy Awards - Best Music (Remedios)
 * 1996 Japanese Academy Awards - Best Supporting Actor (Etsushi Toyokawa)