Kenji (Hidetoshi Nishijima), a Japanese architecture researcher in New York, is struggling to land a job as a tenured professor for his work on ruins. His marriage with Jane, a Taiwanese-American puppeteer, seems to be on the brink of collapse. When their son Kai mysteriously disappears, the tragedy fails to enhance their unity or their strength. As the investigation proceeds, the cracks in their relationship grow wider – a process that the mise en scene conveys with relentless precision, awakening in the viewer an abyss of anguish and melancholy. Jim O’Rourke, composer of the soundtrack, and the puppeteer Blair Thomas both make outstanding contributions to the film.
Solal Raiman
European premiere
This film is not recommended for young audiences (under 12).