Heaven is Still Far Away (2016)
Yuzo, a censorship mosaic engineer, shares his apartment with Mitsuki, a high school girl. One day, he receives a phone call from Mitsuki's sister for her film project. Originally conceived as a thank-you gesture for supporters of Hamaguchi's 2016 film "Happy Hour," this delicate tale of the supernatural blurs the boundaries between the past and the present and showcases the director's expertise in exploring concealed emotions.
• Directed by: Ryusuke Hamaguchi • Runtime: 38 min • Country: Japan
Born in Japan in 1978, Hamaguchi’s 2008 graduate work from Tokyo University of Arts’ master's degree program, ”PASSION,” was selected to the San Sebastian International Film Festival and Tokyo Filmex. In 2015, his work ”Happy Hour” premiered and won awards at the 68th Locarno International Film Festival. In 2021, his ”Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 71st Berlinale, and ”Drive My Car” won the Best Screenplay award and 3 independent prizes, including the FIPRESCI Prize at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. In the following year, it received 4 nominations at the 94th Academy Awards including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and won the Best International Feature Award. In 2023, Hamaguchi’s feature length film ”Evil Does Not Exist” won the Silver Lion - Grand Jury Prize at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, the FIPRESCI Prize, and more. About Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker