Fireflies in the North

Set during the early Meiji era in the frozen wilderness of Hokkaido, this drama focuses on the construction of roads necessary to develop the region. The story centers on the Kabato Prison, where convicts are forced into hard labor under the rule of a brutal warden who terrorizes the prisoners.

Released in 1984, the film was directed by Hideo Gosha, following his previous work on Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather. The screenplay was written by Kōji Takada and produced by Masayuki Satō through Toei Company and Haiyuza Eiga Hoso Company. The production featured a credited cast of 25 actors, led by Tatsuya Nakadai in the role of Takeshi Tsukigata, alongside Shima Iwashita, Mikio Narita, Mari Natsuki, Reiko Nakamura, and Junko Takazawa. The movie has a runtime of 125 minutes.