By a Man's Face Shall You Know Him

WWII veteran Dr. Amamiya (played by real life former yakuza Noboru Ando) runs a clinic in a downtrodden Japanese neighborhood. When an accident victim brought to him for treatment turns out to be his ethically Korean war buddy he recalls the criminal strife that practically ripped their town apart and changed their lives forever just some years earlier right after the war. Flashbacks reveal the brash and contentious Korean gang that tried to take over the local market and turn it into a red light district. While fueled by innate prejudice from the native Japanese residents, the hoodlums’ ruthless methods lead to unspeakably treacherous acts. As both sides’ anger escalates to the brink, Dr. Amamiya takes matters into his own hands to try and control this untenable conflict. Director Tai Kato’s groundbreaking feature takes on controversial sociopolitical issues with his distinct cinematic aesthetic in a seamless blend of melodrama and action that is exemplary of his “superb craftsmanship and personal style” (Los Angeles Times).