The film, which took seven years to come to fruition, joins 'Fires on the Plain' and 'Shadow of Fire' in the Japanese director's filmography.

This new cinematic endeavor focuses on the life of Allen Nelson, an African American Vietnam War veteran who, after returning, gave over 1,200 lectures in Japan about his wartime experiences. Nelson, who is buried in Japan, spoke candidly about his inner torment for having taken lives during the conflict.

Rodney Hicks, known for his work on Broadway and in the Netflix series 'Forever', takes on the main role.

Geoffrey Rush, winner of Oscar, Emmy, and Tony awards, plays Dr. Daniels, a VA physician. Tatyana Ali, from 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' and 'Abbott Elementary', plays Linda, Nelson's wife. Mark Merphy makes his screen debut as young Nelson in flashbacks. Filming took place in the US, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan.

The film details Nelson's journey from his childhood in New York to his enlistment in the Marines at age 18, seeking to escape discrimination and poverty.

After a stint at Camp Hansen in Okinawa, he was dispatched to the Vietnam front lines in 1966. He returned five years later, plagued by insomnia, fear, and fractured family ties, eventually ending up living on the streets. Dr. Daniels intervenes to help him.

Tsukamoto first came across the original nonfiction book while researching 'Fires on the Plain', and the story never left him.

He described the filmmaking process as a seven-year tug-of-war between wanting to tell the story and being overwhelmed by its darkness. The director stated: 'In today’s world, where conflicts are raging in various places, I’ve come to feel this reality more acutely than ever'.

Kinoshita Group and Kino Films, the company behind the local release of 'Conclave' and the upcoming Japanese rollout of the Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' in June, are responsible for the production and distribution in Japan.

The Japan release announcement was timed to coincide with National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29.