After Life: Climactic Scenes

SATURDAY IS A DAY FOR ________________ ? (**see below)

Mochi finds the letter from Mr. Watanabe. “I only wanted you to know that I was able to affirm the 70 years of my life.” Mr. W. thanked him for not talking about his wife with him—keeping it a secret.
Then he shares his PAIN with Shiori (a high point for her). He didn’t tell W. because he didn’t want to hurt him—but because it would have been too painful for Mochi to tell him. “I never let myself get close to anyone like that!” This really angers her—because she wants nothing more than for him to love her.
So Shiori hunts down the 16mm film of Kyoko’s memory, many years ago. And what is her memory? Sitting on the park bench with her naval flier husband. She chose a memory from 1943. She must have been 70 when she died—she plays herself, of course, but the man next to her would have been one of the interviewers or assistants.
So then Mochi looks at the videotape of that memory. We see it. Then a cut to a two-shot of Mochi and Shiori—with him reacting. She says, “This is it. She choose this memory.”
Then a cut to a wide shot of the two sitting on a park bench outside in the snow—and then a closer shot--just the way it was in the August, 1943, memory.
Then Mochi alone on the sound stage and he stares at the park bench there.

NOW NOTICE THAT WE MOVED THROUGH A SERIES OF ENCOUNTERS:

Mochi watching Mr. Watanabe enacting his memory on the sound stage
Mochi looking at the 16mm film of his wife’s memory (sitting next to Mochi in 1943)
Mochi looking at the videotape of that memory (sitting next to Kyoko in 1943)
Mochi looking at the park bench on the sound stage

Shiori goes nuts out in the snow—SHE KNOWS HE WILL CHOOSE—AND LEAVE HER

At night, in his room (INTIMACY) she confronts him: Now he knows she cares for him. He tells her the truth: First, when he was first in After Life, he tried and tried to come up with a memory and could not. Now, 50 years later, he has learned that he was part of someone else’s happiness.
Third, someday you will find this Shiori. (She says, “I will never choose!” If I choose, I will have to forget all about this place.” Then she adds, “I’m going to keep you, inside me, forever. I can’t bear to be forgotten by any more people.”
Mochi explains that it was his experience working here, with these people in after-life, which led him to this moment. “I’ll never forget what happened here,” he promises. CUT to the bare bench.

SUNDAY

We see part of the filming of his scene. Focus is on Shiori’s reaction.
At the showing of the film, he tells her about the book he hasn’t finished. He asks her to finish it for him.
Then we see the film (for the first time we see a film). Starts with Mochi on the park bench. He looks up in a CU. Reverse angle and we see all the people that meant something to him. There are the people—Shiori among them.
Then a cut to the people in the theater. But he is gone now.

MONDAY

Now Shiori is with Kawashima, and they talk like old pros.
Now Iseya is going to be added to the list as an apprentice (just like Shiori was).
Now Shiori is an interviewer. We see her rehearsing her spiel. Then a knock at the door.

** Saturday is a day for LOVE