13/09/24 – 19:30 The Venue
Japan 2023
Dir: Kore-eda Hirokazu
Cert: 12A
125 mins
Starring: Sakura Andō, Eita Nagayama, Sōya Kurokawa
Momentous events in a young boy’s life are seen from three different vantage points in the latest, highly acclaimed film by the director of “Shoplifters” ( also shown at LFS). Single mother Saori is worried about her 10-year-old son Minato, who has become sullen and prone to inexplicable behaviour. Moreover, he tells his mother that his form teacher has verbally and physically abused him. When Saori goes to the school, determined to get some answers, she is instead faced with unsatisfactory formal apologies, but no explanation of what actually happened. The incidents are then replayed from the points of view of Minato’s teacher, Mr Hori, and Minato himself. A multi-layered film in which the bigger picture, if not absolutely everything, is gradually revealed, “Monster” is a compassionate and poignant view of childhood and the process of growing up.
Trailer:
