With the unfortunate pausing of Metrograph Pictures, a few of their releases were in limbo. Thankfully, Film Movement has come to the rescue for one, Neo Sora’s narrative debut Happyend (following his first feature, capturing his father in Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus). Now set for a September 12 release, the new trailer has arrived for the Venice, TIFF, and NYFF selection.
Here’s the synopsis: “Best friends Yuta and Kou are about to graduate high school in a near-future Tokyo where the threat of a catastrophic earthquake pervades daily life. One night, they pull a consequential prank on their principal, which leads to a surveillance system being installed in the school. Between the oppressive security system and a darkening national political situation, Kou feels increasingly frustrated with the world while Yuta seems completely unaware. Finding an empathetic ear in a passionate student activist, Kou’s political consciousness blossoms. Assuming that Yuta would never understand his newfound interests, Kou begins to avoid his friend. For the first time in their lifelong friendship, the two are forced to confront differences that they never had expressed before.”
Savina Petkova said in her review, “‘Something big is about to change’ is surely one ominous beginning for a debut fiction feature, but director Neo Sora knows how to calibrate the fine balance between anticipation and inevitability. A story set in the near future, Happyend makes Tokyo a vast playground to high-school seniors gathered around childhood pals Yuta (Hayato Kurihara) and Kou (Yukito Hidaka). Life is blooming and the future is ripe for those teenagers, even if the whole city is constantly preparing itself for a catastrophic earthquake. Daily drills and false alarms interrupt an otherwise-smooth rhythm where Yuta and Kou gather their classmates at their Music Research Club, an extracurricular that’s more enjoyable than practical in purpose. With a fully equipped school room at their disposal at all times, the gang can build a secure microcosm for the shared love of electronic avant-garde and a generally good time.”
See the trailer and poster below.
