A modern retelling of Japanese Noh theatre play, Takasago and the eternal bond between mother and daughter.

Director’s Vision

Paired Flowers is a modern retelling of ‘Takasago”, a Japanese Noh theatre play. I made this film to honor the ancient Japanese theatre art, Noh, and created it in homage to my mother (who is also the actress and flute player in the film). Noh is a form of theatre involving music, dance and drama, originating in the 14th century and is the oldest theatre art that is still being regularly performed today. “Takasago” (also known as “The Paired Pines”) is one of the most famous Noh plays. The original play is about an old married couple who live on separate islands but remain to have an everlasting love despite the distance between them. The couple are the deities of two pine trees (Takasago and Sumiyoshi) that grew from the same root and, although separated by sea, have never ceased being husband and wife. My mother and I live in different countries and we rarely get to see each other in person. By taking inspiration from “Takasago” I created something to honor our eternal bond as mother and daughter despite the distance. This film is a celebration of my Japanese roots and a tribute to my mother and her craft as a musician.