A Scene at the Sea (あの夏、いちばん静かな海。, Ano natsu, ichiban shizukana umi?, "That summer, the calmest ocean") is a 1991 Japanese film written and directed by Takeshi Kitano. A deaf garbage collector, played by Claude Maki, is determined to learn how to surf—and does so almost at the expense of the girl he loves. This movie was a break from previous Kitano fare in that it features no gangsters or police. However, Kitano did return to darker themes in his next film, Sonatine, as well as many later works. In the film, Kitano develops his more delicate, romantic side along with his trademark deadpan approach. In 2002 the Japanese filmmaker directed a similar movie, Dolls, a romantic tale about three pairs of lovers. This film marks the first collaboration between Kitano and composer Joe Hisaishi, who had previously created the acclaimed soundtracks of many of Hayao Miyazaki's anime films, including Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Hisaishi would go on to compose t...