48/49
French Film Festival and Singapore International Film Festival
Line of Events
Follow a singer who dies suddenly while on tour in Japan, but her spirit lives on and searches for humanity in the afterlife. The Singapore premiere, which is also the film’s Southeast Asian premiere, will be co-presented at the 40th vOilah! Spirit World is a multi-layered film that essentially speaks to two very human impulses.
First, the creative instinct that drives artists and second, the emotional need for family connections
At the very beginning of the film, we meet three characters with whom all defined impulses have lost touch. Singer-songwriter Claire (Deneuve), Yuzo (Sakai), a former songwriter now a piano tuner, and his estranged son Hayato (Takenouchi), an anime director whose best work is apparently behind him. For these three characters, decisions and actions are necessary in death and the period that follows.
in life to find solutions to life’s complicated problems
This is of course a very idealized perspective on this universal question: what happens after we die? Spirit World answers this question in a very realistic and objective way. We put aside the fear of the unknown and decided to help the living, our altruistic effort, which results in the fulfillment of the humble desires of our protagonists.
From a technical standpoint, Spirit World ticks all the boxes for audience engagement
This is the life-affirming message of Spirit World: that the creative impulse bears fruit in the healing of family bonds when exercised with selfless intention. The engaging performances that draw on Takasaki and Chiba’s beautiful landscapes (and seascapes) are a pure feast for the eyes and pay homage to the musical artists of the 60s and 70s, a golden age of creativity that will never be seen again. A sweet and heartfelt cinematic experience for anyone who has felt the pull of creativity and family love.