Passion (Shin-Dejima Festival)

The feature debut of Ryusuke Hamaguchi, director of Drive My Car, winner of the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. Made as his graduation project at Tokyo University of the Arts, PASSION was selected for the 2008 San Sebastian International Film Festival. At a gathering of old university friends, Kaho and Tomoya announce their engagement. But the celebration is unsettled when Tomoya’s past infidelity comes to light. Casual conversation begins to expose unspoken feelings and hidden entanglements. As the couple spend the rest of the night apart, they and their friends confront desires and resentments that unsettle their relationships. A night of searching conversations reveals how difficult it can be to reach even those closest to us.