No one knew that Hamaguchi was making a new film. He submitted it to the festival without informing us; we discovered it by chance on the platform! An absolute gem, of indescribable beauty. Very different from Drive My Car, but equally engaging due to the thoroughly contemporary themes it tackles. A film that speaks of progress while respecting nature, addressing the need to preserve the delicate natural balance in a mountain village where a Tokyo company wants to build luxury housing for ‘exotic’ tourists. The film delves into topics like natural balance and climate change, the necessity of reconciling civil and social progress with respect for nature, avoiding all forms of ideological discourse, never indulging in easy propaganda, but instead highlighting the contradictory nature of the society we live in. A representation to which Hamaguchi lends extraordinary power.
