Coincidences and Fantasies

WINNER – SILVER BEAR JURY GRAND PRIX – BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL 2021

* * * * * “ Hypnotic. Hamaguchi is a magician ” – Amelia

That icy cold feeling when your ex has met someone and you hear about it from the new one. A revenge plot with unexpected consequences. A chance meeting with the wrong person who turns out to be exactly the right one. Director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi focuses on the different phases and complications of love in this charming episodic film told from a female perspective.

Hamaguchi broke through in 2015 with the ensemble drama Happy Hour , the fruits of a study circle he organized for non-professional actors during his time as Artist in Residence at Kobe's KIITO Design and Creative Center. It received unanimously glowing reviews, won many awards at festivals around the world, and solidified that we were dealing with a new unique voice in the same tradition as John Cassavetes, whose strong portrayals of women have gone down in film history.

This spring, Hamaguchi is of course most associated with the Oscar he very deservedly took home for his brilliant Drive My Car .

* * * * “ Hamaguchi has style so it’s enough and it’s over ” – The Entertainment Guide
* * * * “ Hamaguchi’s film stories are ambiguous ” – Filmeye
* * * * “ Punctual in the depiction of people ” – The Culture Blog

“ Well-written script ” – UNT
" Nice, definitely worth seeing " – TV4
" Masterful dialogue " - Kulturnyheterna
" Made for the cinema's thinking box " – DN
" Hamaguchi is one of the great directors of our time " - Aftonbladet

“ Enjoyable and stimulating ” – The Guardian
“ Overwhelming, one of the best films of the year ” – The Film Stage
“ A tender trio of love stories from Tokyo ” – Book & Film Globe
“ Three chance encounters become two happy hours ” – Variety
“ Sharp, erotic, and affirming fable ” – Slant Magazine
“ Full of low-key, melancholic poetry ” – The Hollywood Reporter