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Undercurrent (12A)

アンダーカレント (Undercurrent)

Sat 23 Mar 2024

Undercurrent (12A)

アンダーカレント (Undercurrent)

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2024

Dir. IMAIZUMI Rikiya
2023 | 143 mins | Japan
Japanese with English Subtitles
MAKI Yoko, NAGAYAMA Eita, IURA Arata, Lily Franky

Kanae (MAKI Yoko) struggles to manage her family’s bathhouse after her husband, Satoru (NAGAYAMA Eita), suddenly vanishes. She is often possessed by his memories, as well as memories from her childhood that she cannot recall. One day, HORI Takayuki (IURA Arata), a boiler man, comes seeking work and shelter, which Kanae agrees to offer.

In her quest to find her missing husband, Kanae hires the eccentric private detective YAMASAKI (Lily Franky). As Kanae delves into Satoru’s disappearance, her buried childhood memories resurface again, revealing hidden truths about herself, her husband, and HORI’s true motives. What will be uncovered as the undercurrents in each of their hearts are unravelled?

Based on the legendary manga Undercurrent by TOYODA Tetsuya, which received enthusiastic acclaim both in Japan and abroad upon its release in 2005, distinguished filmmaker IMAIZUMI Rikiya (Little Nights, Little Love and His) skilfully portrays the emotions that have long been locked away in people’s hearts. The music is composed by HOSONO Haruomi, who received the top award at the Cannes Film Festival for his work on Shoplifters (2018).

The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2024
Unforgettable: Memories, Times and Reflections in Japanese Cinema

The UK’s largest festival of Japanese cinema, the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP24), returns with its biggest showcase ever.

Memories play a powerful role in the mind. Shaped fluidly by individuals or time, they have been a source of inspiration for many filmmakers, fuelling their creativity to craft colourful stories. The JFTFP24 delves into Japanese cinema to explore how memories are employed in the cinematic voices of Japanese filmmakers, from films where memories are a focal point to works where they play a subliminal role in driving or affecting people’s minds and behaviour.

With an incredibly diverse range of films all based on memories, time, and reflections, this year’s programme is set to provide UK audiences with memorable stories and unforgettable moments.