Departures is a 2008 Japanese drama about a young man who returns to his hometown after a failed career as a cellist. He stumbles into a job as a traditional Japanese ritual mortician. He is subjected to prejudice from those around him, including from his wife, because of strong social taboos against people who deal with death. Eventually he repairs these interpersonal connections through the beauty and dignity of his work.
The film received an Oscar for a best foreign language film. The music was written by Joe Hisaishi, in which the cello takes an important role. In this arrangement, the cello part is written in various instrument groups to make it an diverse piece to play.