Toichi is a boatman who ferries the villagers to a town on the other side of the river. Besides rowing a boat for the villagers all day long, he barely communicates with anyone except Genzo, a young neighbour. Upstream, a large bridge is being constructed. Everyone is excited, but Toichi has mixed feelings about it. One day, Toichi meets a mysterious girl. Having no family and no place to go, Toichi lets her stay with him, but this encounter starts to bring about changes to Toichi's life.
They Say Nothing Stays the Same is a 2019 drama film directed by Joe Odagiri and stars Akira Emoto. In the debut directorial feature by actor Joe Odagiri, the film follows an old ferryman in a remote Meiji era community. For years, he has transported people back and forth on a river amid unspoiled beauty. His placid and cyclical life is disturbed by the construction of the nearby bridge, and transformed by saving a girl floating in the water. Shot by Christopher Doyle and the debut film music feature by Tigran Hamasyan.
