The Sun (2005)

As the cataclysmic tides of World War II draw close to the Japanese shores, Emperor Hirohito finds himself ensnared in an intricate ballet of power and survival. Descending into his bunker beneath the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, he embarks on his daily rituals, each choreographed by a faithful servant who reads out his itinerary – a dance of diplomacy, scientific curiosity and paternal duties. Within the confines of his subterranean haven, Hirohito grapples with the looming arrival of the Americans, a specter that threatens to shatter his routine, his empire, and his very sense of self. However, an insistent servant reassures him that as long as a single Japanese heartbeat persists, the Americans will be held at bay. Hirohito, a man wrapped in the cloak of divinity yet endowed with the body and emotions of a mortal, responds with a haunting fear of being the last Japanese soul standing. His humanity echoes through his musings on the war, his observations of a hermit crab, and his heartfelt missive to his son about the impending peace. As the historic saga unfolds, Hirohito is summoned from his sanctuary through the war-scarred landscape of Tokyo, a journey that brings him face-to-face with General Douglas MacArthur, the supreme commander of the victorious occupying forces. The looming question of Hirohito's fate – a choice between the throne or the gallows – casts a shadow over their encounter. The Sun, the third radiant pillar in Aleksandr Sokurov's Power quadrilogy, illuminates this pivotal encounter, where two worlds collide over dinner and Havana cigars. As the smoke clears, Hirohito, stripped of his divine aura, steps into a new role as a constitutional monarch, ready to guide his war-torn nation towards a brighter tomorrow. This compelling narrative weaves together threads of power, survival, and transformation, presenting a vivid portrait of a man poised on the brink of a new era.

The Sun is a drama movie featuring Issey Ogata and directed by Aleksandr Sokurov.

The Sun is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy.

It is also possible to buy The Sun on Google Play Movies and YouTube.