Twenty-Four Eyes

'Twenty-Four Eyes' is a 1954 film directed by Keisuke Kinoshita, one of the most revered Japanese filmmakers. The screenplay was also written by him along with Sakae Tsuboi. The lead actress is Hideko Takamine, who has appeared in numerous historically significant films and is acclaimed as one of the most legendary actresses in Japanese cinema.

Set in 1928, 'Twenty-Four Eyes' follows Mrs. Oishi, played by Hideko Takamine, when she arrives at a primary school on Shodoshima Island, in the Seto Inland Sea, in western Japan. Dressed in modern clothing and commuting by bicycle, she generates distrust among the island's adults, but a deep affection grows between the teacher and her students.

However, the days of happiness do not last long. As Japan heads toward war, the economic situation of one of her students prevents her from continuing to attend school, while another boy wants to leave his studies to become a soldier, causing profound sorrow for Mrs. Oishi.

Keisuke Kinoshita's film is an anti-war classic that focuses on the lives of ordinary Japanese citizens affected by the war, emphasizing their relationships, such as that between the teacher and her students. Many of the folk songs featured in the film are still beloved and sung in Japan today.