Good Soil (Trailer)

Starring Shin Koyamada (The Last Samurai)
Written and Directed by Craig Shimahara

Ships from Europe brought Christianity to the shores of Japan in 1549. For nearly 100 years the seeds of faith grew under the watchful gaze of the shogun. But the fear of foreign influence eventually gave rise to persecution. By 1624 Japanese Christians had only a few more years of peace.

Masuda Jinbei, a Japanese Christian of the samurai class, draws his strength from his faith, family, and fencing. Life is good, until the shogun decrees a brutal policy of religious cleansing. Now Jinbei must choose between his family and his faith.

This short film combines a retelling the the parable of the sower with a glimpse of the plight of the Japanese converts to Christianity under the shogunate.