# The Ballad of Narayama (1983)

> An elderly mother prepares to surrender herself to a merciless village custom while securing her son's future.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/27127

## Facts

- Runtime: 130 min
- Genres: Drama
- Director: Shōhei Imamura
- Cast: Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamoto, Tonpei Hidari, Aki Takejo, Shoichi Ozawa, Fujio Tokita, Sanshō Shinsui, Seiji Kurasaki
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084390/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Mood: sardonic, brutally honest, disturbing, serious film night, japanese cinema deep dive

## Synopsis

A poignant exploration of duty and sacrifice in a harsh, unforgiving world.

## Movies like The Ballad of Narayama

- [The Naked Island (1960)](https://ember.film/movie/2307)
- [An Autumn Afternoon (1962)](https://ember.film/movie/34288)
- [Tokyo Story (1953)](https://ember.film/movie/10905)
- [The End of Summer (1961)](https://ember.film/movie/17239)
- [Equinox Flower (1958)](https://ember.film/movie/17238)
- [Late Autumn (1960)](https://ember.film/movie/13175)
- [The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939)](https://ember.film/movie/30551)
- [Samurai Rebellion (1967)](https://ember.film/movie/16210)
- [Onibaba (1964)](https://ember.film/movie/2306)
- [The Ballad of Narayama (1958)](https://ember.film/movie/76929)

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