Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
A conscientious chronicler of the life of women in contemporary Japan, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi presents three loosely connected tales in which human relationships are influenced by unpredictable, fateful chance. Hamaguchi encloses the grand themes of love, revenge, and reconciliation into long, carefully written dialogues that subtly criticize the problems faced by Japanese society today.
- Gûzen to sôzô
- Japan 2021
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- Czech
- 121 min.
- Accessible
Japanese director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi continues his intimate dramas describing the life of women in contemporary Japan. In his new film, he has chosen to present an anthology of three compact minimalist stories, each of which is based on improbable, fateful coincidences that influence the main characters’ relationships. Although the last tale betrays a witty angle on the sci-fi motif, Hamaguchi remains faithful to his typically understated style. His low-key stories tend to follow two characters in enclosed spaces, with the drama coming mainly from long, carefully written dialogues. The film’s ordinary yet slightly disjointed situations touch subtly on a number of problems faced by contemporary society, and not just in Japan.
Read moreSelected filmography: Happy Hour (Happî awâ, 2015), Asako I & II (Netemo sametemo, 2018), Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (Gûzen to sôzô, 2021), Drive My Car (Doraibu mai kâ, 2021).
Berlinale
2021 – Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Jury Grand Prix)
Tokyo FILMeX
2021 – Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Audience Award)
Chicago International Film Festival
2021 – Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Silver Q-Hugo)
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