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"My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me'" Christ's plea from the cross resonates through Aoyama Shinji's ([Eureka], MIFF 00) bleak vision of a post-apocalyptic world overwhelmed with despair. Featuring in this year's Un Certain Regard at Cannes, it showcases Aoyama's truly idiosyncratic vision and combines stunning visuals with experimental sounds.
"Late autumn, 2015: The world is in the grips of a mysterious virus, nicknamed the Lemming Syndrome because those infected develop a depression so strong they commit suicide. Musicians Mizui (the ubiquitous Tadanobu Asano) and Asuhara (Masaya Nakahara), of the post-punk group Stepin Fetchit, may have found a way to alleviate the disease's symptoms through dissonant sound.
"Business executive Miyagi (Yasutaka Tsutsui), whose granddaughter Hana (Aoi Miyazaki) is suffering from the illness, hires detective Natsuishi (Masahiro Toda) to locate the two musicians in the hope they can at least temporarily stop her urge toward self-destruction." - Variety --- D/S Aoyama Shinji P Takenori Sento WS Wild Bunch L Japanese w/English subtitles TD 35mm/col/2004/107mins
Aoyama Shinji was born in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1964. His films include [Wild Life] (1997), [Eureka] (MIFF 00), [Forest with No Name] (2002).