This is a fantastically atmospheric story of a young Japanese woman and the letters she writes to a French businessman she had a casual affair with, shot on video, largely on location in Tokyo. Her voice-over complements silent images of her everyday activities in rural Japan, and it is clear when we then hear the Frenchman's commentary that she attaches far more significance to their relationship than he does. There is a suggestion of a grand allegory about misunderstandings between East and West, but its probably directed more at Western sex tourists, or those who fetishise Asian femininity and its perceived passivity. Romain Slocombe is famed for his erotic photographs of Japan and its women, so he is in a decidedly ambiguous position from which to be making such criticisms. That said, it treats its female protagonist with a great deal of sensitivity, and its male lead with proportional contempt. I'd like to know if any Japanese viewers find this patronising, but its certainly a piece of singular mood and beauty.
2 Reviews
Interesting concept that manages to be dull and interesting at different times however the flat style fails to make any comment and left me cold to the characters
bob the moo1 May 2002
From Sandai, a teenage girl (Yuka Asai) writes to her friend in France. She met Jean Franasi on a visit to France. We hear her letters as she writes them. However when Jean comes to visit Tokyo for work and we hear his thoughts, it transpires that their feelings towards each other do not match.
I watch a lot of short films when they're good they can be really good. However sometimes they lack points or seem to have hidden or lost their raison d'être. Here the story makes the Oriental girl look innocent and naïve to the point of stupidity, and makes the French man look cruel and exploitative. It is interesting and dull in equal measure.
The shots of everday life while letters are read out make for dull viewing. It only gets interesting when Jean arrives in Tokyo and his interest contrast so much with Yuka's. So what's the message is it that Oriental's are naïve and there to be exploited happily? Is it that the French (or the foreigners) who come to Tokyo are uncaring and cruel to the culture they visit? The film deals with both view points so even handedly that we are left unsure who it agrees with! It makes you unsure what to think what is it trying to tell me.
The voice work is mostly good, but neither character is given much depth. It doesn't even judge either at the end instead it delivers a flat conclusion that suits both parties. It dos have good moments and it is quite clever a times, however for most this falls flat and doesn't seem to know what it's doing.
I didn't want to dislike this as it did seem like it was trying to go somewhere, however for me it would have been much better if it had been a little less fair to one or the other of the characters. With the easy eye of the viewer it allows too much to go by without comment and without provoking any thought. It's good but I felt it had could have had something to say.
I watch a lot of short films when they're good they can be really good. However sometimes they lack points or seem to have hidden or lost their raison d'être. Here the story makes the Oriental girl look innocent and naïve to the point of stupidity, and makes the French man look cruel and exploitative. It is interesting and dull in equal measure.
The shots of everday life while letters are read out make for dull viewing. It only gets interesting when Jean arrives in Tokyo and his interest contrast so much with Yuka's. So what's the message is it that Oriental's are naïve and there to be exploited happily? Is it that the French (or the foreigners) who come to Tokyo are uncaring and cruel to the culture they visit? The film deals with both view points so even handedly that we are left unsure who it agrees with! It makes you unsure what to think what is it trying to tell me.
The voice work is mostly good, but neither character is given much depth. It doesn't even judge either at the end instead it delivers a flat conclusion that suits both parties. It dos have good moments and it is quite clever a times, however for most this falls flat and doesn't seem to know what it's doing.
I didn't want to dislike this as it did seem like it was trying to go somewhere, however for me it would have been much better if it had been a little less fair to one or the other of the characters. With the easy eye of the viewer it allows too much to go by without comment and without provoking any thought. It's good but I felt it had could have had something to say.
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