Japan, 1944. 22-year-old Hiroo Onoda completes his special military training. Unlike the kamikaze pilots who were being recruited around the same time in order to sacrifice their lives for Japan, Onoda is not allowed to die – at any price. This unexpected hit at Cannes explores the ethics of war, forms of patriotism, male friendship, and solitude.
Japan, 1944. 22-year-old Hiroo Onoda completes his special military training. Unlike the kamikaze pilots who were being recruited around the same time in order to sacrifice their lives for Japan, Onoda is not allowed to die. He is sent to the small Philippine island of Lubang, where he and a small unit are tasked with fighting a guerilla war against the approaching Americans. The Japanese empire surrenders a year later, but Onoda is determined to hold his position… Arthur Harari shot his film, an unexpected hit at Cannes, with the light touch of a great cinematic storyteller. Paying homage to 1970s cinema, in particular in terms of subtle stylistic references, he presents a clear story about the ethics of war, forms of patriotism, male friendship, and solitude.
Martin Horyna
167 min / Color, DCP
International premiere
Director Arthur Harari
/ Screenplay Arthur Harari, Vincent Poymiro
/ Dir. of Photography Tom Harari
/ Music Sebastiano De Gennaro, Enrico Gabrielli, Andrea Poggio, Sato Gak, Olivier Marguerit
/ Editor Laurent Sénéchal
/ Art Director Brigitte Brassart
/ Producer Nicolas Anthomé
/ Production bathysphere
/ Coproduction To Be Continued, Ascent Films, Pandora Film Production, Chipangu, Frakas Production, Anti-Archive
/ Cast Endô Yūya, Tsuda Kanji, Matsuura Yūya, Chiba Tetsuya
/ Sales Le Pacte
Arthur Harari (1981, Paris). Selected filmography: Des jours dans la rue (2005, short), La main sur la gueule (2007, medium-length), In Vain (Peine perdue, 2013, medium-length), Dark Inclusion (Diamant noir, 2016), Onoda – 10 000 Nights in the Jungle (Onoda, 2021).
Le Pacte
5, rue Darcet, 750 17, Paris
France
Phone: +33 144 695 959
Fax: +33 144 695 942
E-mail: [email protected]
Nicolas Anthomé
Producer
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