How Long Is “Caterpillar”?

The horror of war comes home for one couple in this drama from director Koji Wakamatsu. In 1940, Lt. Kyuzo Kurokawa (Shima Ohnishi) is a soldier in the Japanese army, fighting the Chinese in the second Sino-Japanese War. Kyuzo is a warrior with little sense of restraint or fair play, and when he returns home to his wife, Shigeko (Shinobu Terajima), he's clearly paid a high price for his ferocity -- he's lost both arms and legs, and his face is covered with burns. Shigeko is horrified by what's become of Kyuzo, and at first considers putting him out of his misery, but though he has trouble speaking he's able to express his desire to survive, and she devotes her days to caring for her man. Kyuzo is considered a great hero by most in the community, and Shigeko enjoys the respect and consideration that comes with being the wife of a "war god," but though Kyuzo is dependent on Shigeko for his every need, he shows her little respect and is bitter and demanding. Shigeko's anger and resentment toward Kyuzo grows, and when he begins to object to being displayed in public, Shigeko finds she can no longer control her anger. Caterpillar was an official selection at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival.