Harmonium
[M]asterful performances. [T]his tale approaches a family's flawed construct with the critical seriousness of Robert Bresson.
Harmonium
Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Koji Fukada (HOSPITALITE) returns with an intimate and disturbing portrayal of a family undone.
Married couple Toshio and Akie live a happy - if predictable - life with their young daughter, Hotaru. One day, Yasaka, hauntingly played by Tadanobu Asano (ICHI THE KILLER), a mysterious acquaintance from Toshio’s past, arrives at the family’s home. Although he is fresh out of prison, Toshio impulsively offers Yasaka a room and work at his small factory. Soon the ex-con is infiltrating the family’s life, flirting with Akie and coaching Hotaru on the harmonium. But when his secrets come to light, Yasaka’s true intentions come into question and the outcome is catastrophic.
An intense and heartbreaking story, HARMONIUM is Fukada’s best film to date, featuring exceptional, nuanced performances by the entire cast. HARMONIUM premiered to great acclaim at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, taking home the prestigious Un Certain Regard Jury Prize.
"[C]ommands attention from start to finish. The film's insights into the isolation evident in the relationships most take for granted -- marriages, parent-child connections and long-term friendships -- don't merely hit their targets; they smash them with a sledgehammer." – Sarah Ward, Screen Dailly
Married couple Toshio and Akie live a happy - if predictable - life with their young daughter, Hotaru. One day, Yasaka, hauntingly played by Tadanobu Asano (ICHI THE KILLER), a mysterious acquaintance from Toshio’s past, arrives at the family’s home. Although he is fresh out of prison, Toshio impulsively offers Yasaka a room and work at his small factory. Soon the ex-con is infiltrating the family’s life, flirting with Akie and coaching Hotaru on the harmonium. But when his secrets come to light, Yasaka’s true intentions come into question and the outcome is catastrophic.
An intense and heartbreaking story, HARMONIUM is Fukada’s best film to date, featuring exceptional, nuanced performances by the entire cast. HARMONIUM premiered to great acclaim at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, taking home the prestigious Un Certain Regard Jury Prize.
"[C]ommands attention from start to finish. The film's insights into the isolation evident in the relationships most take for granted -- marriages, parent-child connections and long-term friendships -- don't merely hit their targets; they smash them with a sledgehammer." – Sarah Ward, Screen Dailly
Genre
Drama,
Festival Favorite
Runtime
111
Language
Japanese
Director
Kôji Fukada
Cast
Kôji Fukada,
Mariko Tsutsui,
Tadanobu Asano,
Kanji Furutachi
Awards:
Winner, Un Certain Regard ~ Avenir Prize, Cannes Film Festival
FEATURED REVIEW
David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle
In the riveting, masterfully executed 'Harmonium,' bad karma pays a visit to a family — and overstays its welcome. It’s a bleak film, no doubt, yet it remains engrossing throughout with its genuinely surprising twists and outstanding acting. Toshio (Kanji Furutachi, very good) leads a boring life in ...
Played at
Monica Film Center 7.07.17 - 7.13.17
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