Question 1

What extreme measures did the cast take to achieve authenticity in Fires on the Plain?

Accepted Answer

Actors were fed very little and not allowed basic hygiene like brushing teeth or cutting nails. Eiji Funakoshi voluntarily stopped eating to get into character, eventually collapsing and halting production for two weeks.

Question 2

Which international film festivals has Fires on the Plain been featured in?

Accepted Answer

It was shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2002 and the Locarno International Film Festival in 1961.

Question 3

What historical reality does this film accurately depict about Japanese soldiers in WWII?

Accepted Answer

It shows Japanese soldiers' will to fight on even when defeat was clear, with some holding out for decades after Japan's surrender, like Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda who surrendered in 1974.

Question 4

Who plays the main character Tamura in Fires on the Plain?

Accepted Answer

Eiji Funakoshi portrays the character Tamura, a Japanese soldier with tuberculosis abandoned on Leyte island.

Question 5

What recognition did Fires on the Plain receive from the Academy Awards?

Accepted Answer

It was Japan's official submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 32nd Academy Awards in 1960.

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Fires on the Plain

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