JAPÓN
by Carlos Reygadas
Mexico, 2002, 122', colour
A man leaves the city for the remote countryside to prepare for his death. There, he is confronted with the vastness of a wild breathtaking nature, and with the infinite humanity of an old woman. His dulled senses return to him, reawakening his desires and instincts for life and raw sexuality.
Reviews
"Shot in super-16 cinemascope, this film of breathtaking beauty and audacity, transforms the physical elements into metaphysical themes:
sky, earth, stone, landscapes and faces become the instruments of a fight between life and death, sexual instinct and the end of flesh, the
strength and weakness of the human condition. JAPÓN resembles a rising sun in the dusk of cinema, and as such is the most beautiful film
of the new century."
Jacques Mandelbaum, LE MONDE
"An existential journey as solemn and intimate as it is majestic and imposing, Japón represents an impressive introduction for debuting
Mexican director Carlos Reygadas. (...) Its powerfully visual storytelling delivers great rewards. (...) Central to its achievement, alongside the stirring images, is the beautifully developed dynamic between the two main characters."
David Rooney, VARIETY
"This excellent debut by Mexican director Carlos Reygadas exhibits a maturity rarely seen in a first film. On the strength of JAPÓN, 30-year-old Reygadas has the talent to become a force in world cinema."
Richard James Havis, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"A visually powerful philosophical journey. A confident and achieved debut."
Jim Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE
"JAPÓN [is] an astonishing Mexican UFO. Grandly shot in cinemascope (...) it takes all possible risks. (...) Intertwining themes such as love, death, sex and religion, it attains an amazing level of purity."
Bertrand Loutte, LES INROCKUPTIBLES
"Solicits comparism to the work of Andrei Tarkovsky and Abbas Kiarostami."
A.O. Scott, THE NEW YORK TIMES
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Trailer
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Carlos Reygadas
Carlos Reygadas was born in 1971 in Mexico. His first feature film, JAPÒN was presented in 2002 at the film festivals in Rotterdam and in Cannes where it received the Camera d'Or. BATTLE IN HEAVEN his second feature film premiered in competition at Cannes 2005. SILENT LIGHT, released in 2007, won the Jury Price in Cannes.
FILMOGRAPHY
2010 REVOLUCIÓN, Fiction, 105 min.
2007 SILENT LIGHT (STELLET LICHT), Fiction, 145 min.
2005 BATTLE IN HEAVEN, Fiction, 98 min.
2002 JAPÒN, Fiction, 130 min.
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Cast
Alejandro Ferretis - The man
Magdalena Flores - Ascen
Crew / Technical Info
Crew
Director: Carlos Reygadas
Script: Carlos Reygadas
Producer: Carlos Reygadas
Production Company: No Dream Cinema
Country of Production: Mexico
Year Completed: 2002
Cinematographer: Diego Martinez Vignatti
Editing: Carlos Serrano Azcona, Daniel Melguizo, David Torres
Sound: Gilles Laurent
Technical Information
Category: First Feature Film / Fiction
Original Language: Spanish
Format: 35mm / colour
Screen Ratio: Cinemascope (1: 2,35)
Speed: 24 frames/second
Sound: Dolby SR
Number of Reels: 7
Footage: 3862m
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Festivals
PREMIERE
 | Cannes 2002, Directors' Fortnight |
MAIN AWARDS
Cannes 2002, Golden Camera & Special Mention
Bratislava 2002, Grand Prix & Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Stockholm 2002, Jury Award
Thessaloniki 2002, Best Director
MAIN SELECTIONS
Karlovy Vary 2002, Competition
Pusan 2002, Competition
Toronto 2002, Competition
Viennale 2002, Competition
Pressbook
Download : pictures
|
Carlos ReygadasCarlos Reygadas was born in 1971 in Mexico. His first feature film, JAPÒN was presented in 2002 at the film festivals in Rotterdam and in Cannes where it received the Camera d'Or. BATTLE IN HEAVEN his second feature film premiered in competition at Cannes 2005. SILENT LIGHT, released in 2007, won the Jury Price in Cannes. |
Mexico
A man leaves the city for the remote countryside to prepare for his death. There, he is confronted with the vastness of a wild breathtaking nature, and with the infinite humanity of an old woman. His dulled senses return to him, reawakening his desires and instincts for life and raw sexuality.
"Shot in super-16 cinemascope, this film of breathtaking beauty and audacity, transforms the physical elements into metaphysical themes:sky, earth, stone, landscapes and faces become the instruments of a fight between life and death, sexual instinct and the end of flesh, thestrength and weakness of the human condition. JAPÓN resembles a rising sun in the dusk of cinema, and as such is the most beautiful filmof the new century."Jacques Mandelbaum, LE MONDE"An existential journey as solemn and intimate as it is majestic and imposing, Japón represents an impressive introduction for debutingMexican director Carlos Reygadas. (...) Its powerfully visual storytelling delivers great rewards. (...) Central to its achievement, alongside the stirring images, is the beautifully developed dynamic between the two main characters."David Rooney, VARIETY
"This excellent debut by Mexican director Carlos Reygadas exhibits a maturity rarely seen in a first film. On the strength of JAPÓN, 30-year-old Reygadas has the talent to become a force in world cinema."Richard James Havis, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER"A visually powerful philosophical journey. A confident and achieved debut."Jim Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE"JAPÓN [is] an astonishing Mexican UFO. Grandly shot in cinemascope (...) it takes all possible risks. (...) Intertwining themes such as love, death, sex and religion, it attains an amazing level of purity."Bertrand Loutte, LES INROCKUPTIBLES
"Solicits comparism to the work of Andrei Tarkovsky and Abbas Kiarostami."
A.O. Scott, THE NEW YORK TIMES
A man leaves the city for the remote countryside to prepare for his death. There, he is confronted with the vastness of a wild breathtaking nature, and with the infinite humanity of an old woman. His dulled senses return to him, reawakening his desires and instincts for life and raw sexuality.
Alejandro Ferretis - The man
Magdalena Flores - Ascen
Crew
Director: Carlos Reygadas
Script: Carlos Reygadas
Producer: Carlos Reygadas
Production Company: No Dream Cinema
Country of Production: Mexico
Year Completed: 2002
Cinematographer: Diego Martinez Vignatti
Editing: Carlos Serrano Azcona, Daniel Melguizo, David Torres
Sound: Gilles Laurent
Technical Information
Category: First Feature Film / Fiction
Original Language: Spanish
Format: 35mm / colour
Screen Ratio: Cinemascope (1: 2,35)
Speed: 24 frames/second
Sound: Dolby SR
Number of Reels: 7
Footage: 3862m
Download : pictures
PREMIERE
| Cannes 2002, Directors' Fortnight |
MAIN AWARDS
Cannes 2002, Golden Camera & Special Mention
Bratislava 2002, Grand Prix & Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Stockholm 2002, Jury Award
Thessaloniki 2002, Best Director
MAIN SELECTIONS
Karlovy Vary 2002, Competition
Pusan 2002, Competition
Toronto 2002, Competition
Viennale 2002, Competition
|
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