River of Fireflies (1987): cast, story & where to watch
1987 · Film
Released in 1987, River of Fireflies is a drama film directed by Eizō Sugawa, running about 115 minutes. “The boy sees the fate of men. The girl knows how women's lives are.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. During the winter in Toyama in 1962, Tatsuo Mizushima is fretting about his feelings for his classmate Eiko Tsujisawa while agonizing about his upcoming high school examinations. When he was little, he and Eiko had heard that in April of a year when the winter has been very harsh, any couple finding fireflies together needs to get married. However, his family's situation does not allow Tatsuo to continue his worrying about such things for very much longer.
Who’s in it. River of Fireflies stars Rentaro Mikuni, Yukiyo Toake, Tamae Sawada and Takayuki Sakazume as Takio Mizushima, among others.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch River of Fireflies page.
If you liked it. Fans of River of Fireflies tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch River of Fireflies (1987)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for River of Fireflies change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Who stars in River of Fireflies?
- River of Fireflies stars Rentaro Mikuni, Yukiyo Toake, Tamae Sawada, Takayuki Sakazume and Takuzō Kawatani.
- When was River of Fireflies released?
- River of Fireflies was released in 1987, with a runtime of about 115 minutes.