Arquivo

In the spring of 1945, the Japanese are at war against China. Under the command of Sergeant Hori, a small platoon where recruit Aizawa is billeted, invades and seizes croplands and livestock in the village of Guilin. One day, the men decide to slaughter a calf without realizing that this is, in fact, a pet belonging to Chen Bao and to his sister Chen Hoi whose parents have been killed by the Japanese soldiers. The children want their pet back again and obstinately say they will not leave off the troops until they have news of the calf. The game of hide-and-seek continues until a group of famished soldiers returns from the front and the calf is indeed about to be slaughtered. With no further explanation, and to the joy of sensitive Aizawa, the sergeant returns the calf to the owners saying that soldiers who have “been defeated” do not deserve to eat it. By his decision, the officer is executed. Five decades later, Aizawa, now 76, returns to Guilin in the attempt to find Hori’ tomb. Chen Bao and Chen Hoi will be his only clues.