
This romantic drama stars Toni Collette as Sandy a high-strung Australian geologist assigned to escort Japanese businessman Hirotmitsu (Gotaro Tsunashima) on a tour through the outback Ostensibly he's there to visit the various mines his company co-owns but his real motives are mysterious & soon he is urging her to drive deep into the middle of the Pilabra Desert A mutual dislike for one another enhanced by vast cultural differences keep them at arm's length at first but when their jeep gets mired in sand in the middle of nowhere their fight for survival leads them towards a deep human connection They find themselves falling in love as they drift aimlessly amidst the desolate beauty of the area but soon comes a sudden unexpected shock Written by Alison Tilson & directed by Sue Brooks JAPANESE STORY explores the distances between cultures people & the vast emptiness of Australia's interior regions Yet even the spectacular desert scenery can't compete with Collette's complex stunner of a performance Suntanned tender gutsy & raw she plumbs frighteningly real depths of emotion & vulnerability Tsunashima is also excellent bringing simplicity & grace to an enigmatic role