The Yellow Handkerchief is a 2008 American independent drama film. The film is a remake of the 1977 Japanese classic of the same name The Yellow Handkerchief (幸福の黄色いハンカチ Shiawase no kiiroi hankachi, lit. The yellow handkerchief of happiness) directed by Yoji Yamada.Set in the present-day American South, The Yellow Handkerchief stars William Hurt as Brett Hanson, an ex-convict who embarks on a road trip straight out of prison. Hanson hitches a ride with two troubled teens, Martine (Kristen Stewart) and Gordy (Eddie Redmayne), traversing post-Hurricane Katrina Louisiana in an attempt to reach his ex-wife and long-lost love, May (Maria Bello). Along the way, the three reflect on their existence, struggle for acceptance, and find their way not only through Louisiana, but through life. Directed by Udayan Prasad and produced by Arthur Cohn, the film was shown at Sundance in 2008 and given a limited release on February 26, 2010, by Samuel Goldwyn Films.