After his pure love hit Heavenly Forest, director Shinjo Takehiko offers an even more heart-tugging experience with Tengoku de Kimi ni Aetara (a.k.a. Life: Tears in Heaven). This quiet tearjerker is based on the life of Japan's most prominent professional windsurfer, Iijima Natsuki, who passed away from cancer on February, 28, 2005 at the age of 38. Iijima's memoir detailing his fight against illness and his final days with his family became a bestseller in Japan, selling 220,000 copies. After Iijima passed away, Fuji TV also aired a touching documentary about him and the program was widely praised by viewers, inspiring even greater interest in the life of this courageous man. |