What do you get when you gather 13 Biola film students and send them on a life-changing filming adventure to Japan?

You get “Persimmon,” a film about Tamotsu, a Japanese man waiting for a persimmon to dry. This image symbolizes the impending death of a friend.

Yet, he cannot accept that it is time for the man on his deathbed to die. Only when Tamotsu has let go can the persimmon take its natural course.

Third Biola Japan film

This is the third time associate film professor Dean Yamada has directed a film shot entirely in Japan. Yamada loves to travel and eat interesting foods, according to the “Persimmon” film’s blog.

“He is one of the most inspirational professors in the film department,” said junior Rachel Van Der Merwe, one of the film’s producers.

Van Der Merwe, who grew up in South Africa and moved to Tennessee when she was 13, is motivated to make films to reach adolescents.

She described the adolescent years as a pivotal time, when perceptions of the world are being written on young hearts.

“I desire to transform people’s minds,” Van Der Merwe said. “This, I think, is more effective than trying to inject Jesus into my films.”

Team’s family atmosphere lends purpose

Junior Nick Chavez served as the team’s production designer.

“My initial motivation was to go to Japan,” Chavez said.

But, as he prepared for the trip and got to know the team, his motivation shifted to a pursuit of seeing the completed film.

This team is very much like a family.

“We were all on the front line,” Chavez said. “As a family, we acquired a sense of purpose.”

It is evident from every team member that God has to be a central focus, in order for a film like “Persimmon” to be a success.

Prayer shapes process

When something malfunctioned on the set of the film, or when the place they wanted to shoot was no longer available, the team stopped to pray.

“God’s provision was on set, and prayer was answered immediately,” Chavez said.

Senior Zack Gladwin, the director of photography, posted a blog on Dec. 29, 2010, that said, “As the clock ticks down and we rapidly approach our departure, I get more and more excited about the adventure ahead of us. I have spent the last seven days eating as much as I can with chopsticks, and using Japanese greetings with people who have no idea what I am talking about.”

Fall 2010 prepares team

The team grew closer together during the 2010 fall semester. The time was filled with pre-production, research on equipment and locations and a lot of prayer.

Also everyone received Japanese language lessons during the semester, to learn words and phrases.

They were taught by English professor Marc Malandra and his wife, Junko, a woman of Japanese heritage. She graciously taught the team basic language and cultural lessons.

The team began to develop a relationship with Studio Re in Tokyo through Skype and e-mails as the day of departure to Japan drew closer. In Tokyo, they stayed at the Team Center, which works in partnership with Studio Re.

Coordinating trip add memories

A lot of time was spent figuring out what equipment would need to be taken from Biola and what could be rented there. Upon arriving in Japan, they rented the majority of their equipment from a local rental agency.

Their trip consisted of the hours spent traveling on a train through the over-populated city of Tokyo, contriving strategies for the day, shooting the film, having recap meetings at night and barely sleeping.

Through the 10 days they spent in Japan, the team experienced many adventures and made lasting memories with each other. The team described the trip and film as an effort of collaboration in its purest form.

Persimmon team consumes variety of foods

The team tried everything from hot lemonade to liquid pancakes from the machines. The last couple of days in Japan were set aside for touring, and every trip the film team has the privilege of going to the Magic Bakery.

“We have gone all three years now, but didn’t know if we could this time,” Yamada said. “Everyone went crazy on pastries.”

Other team members described the bakery as brimming with Japanese elves and pastries. The team considered the bakery visit as one of the highlights of the trip.

Van Der Merwe also recounted a “fancy” dinner they went to one night.

“I ate fried cartilage,” she said.

Other things that they enjoyed in Japan were the squid jerky, fish eggs and fried chicken.