Viennale 2023: Q&A Hitoshi Omika & Yoshio Kitagawa (AKU WA SONZAI SHINAI)

AKU WA SONZAI SHINAI (EVIL DOES NOT EXIST)
HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke | Japan 2023 | 106 min

The long tracking shot across the green branches of a majestic Japanese forest sets the tone for AKU WA SONZAI SHINAI, a subtle, intimate drama by Oscar-winning director Hamaguchi Ryusuke that earned the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Venice Film Festival. Inspired by Ishibashi Eiko’s score and structured around its eclectic melodies, Hamaguchi’s film is an eerie prose poem with a strong ecological message. Takumi and his daughter Hana live happily among the trees; while he chops wood, his child, filled with curiosity, frequently ventures into the forest alone. Hamaguchi observes his characters with compassion, taking us right into the heart of a small community that has the utmost respect for its beautiful, unspoiled environment. The unexpected arrival of two realtors with plans to set up a luxury camping site mobilises the locals, well aware of the risks such a project poses to their living conditions. This unanticipated intrusion disrupts the delicate balance of the area in unforeseen ways. Keenly scrutinising humans, nature and human nature, Hamaguchi’s compelling narrative leads us through various twists and turns to arrive at an enigmatic, chilling finale of unparalleled beauty. (Maria Giovanna Vagenas)