Part of our The Way of the Sword Film Talk Series!
Travel with Ryan Ferguson to Japan as he continues his explorations into the hidden corners of a rich film culture, featuring rarely screened cult classics and enough WTF-strangeness to keep you coming back for more!
The stage is the long-established Fujiya Inn in Kibune, Kyoto. Kibune in a quiet winter. Mikoto, (Riko Fujitani) a waitress who works at Fujiya, is called back to work by the proprietress while standing by the Kibune River behind the annex. However, two minutes later, for some reason, she finds herself once again facing the river. Not only Mikoto, but also the clerk, waitresses, chefs, and guests all begin to feel something strange. Hot sake that doesn’t get hot. Rice porridge that won’t go away. A bathroom that you can never leave. They are ‘looping’. Every 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, time rewinds and everyone returns to where they were, though their memories continue. Some want to get out of the loop, others want to stay, yet they all have issues they need to solve. While watching everyone join forces to investigate the cause, Mikoto finds herself more and more alone.
Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.
Ryan Ferguson
Ryan Ferguson is a film programmer and musician based in Hamilton, ON. He was the lead programmer of the AGH Film Festival between 2014 and 2021 and is the former Curator of Film at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Japanese historical and contemporary filmmaking is Ryan’s primary area of interest, and ‘The Way of the Sword’ is part of a series of film programs he is developing to provide more exposure to the lesser-seen corners of Japanese cinema.
