45/22
It follows a singer who suddenly dies while on tour in Japan, but her spirit lives on and sets out to find humanity in the afterlife. The Singapore premiere, which also marks the film’s Southeast Asian premiere, will be jointly presented at the 40th vOilah! French Film Festival and the Singapore International Film Festival. Spirit World is a multi-layered film that is at its core about two very human impulses. First, the creative instinct that drives artists, and second, the emotional need for family ties. Right from the start, the film introduces us to three characters who have lost touch with both impulses, as defined. Singer-songwriter Claire (Deneuve), Yuzo (Sakai) – a former composer, now a piano tuner – and his estranged son Hayato (Takenouchi), an anime director whose best recognized work is seemingly behind him. For these three characters, it takes decisions and actions made in death and in the afterlife to find solutions to unresolved issues in life. This is, of course, a very idealized view of this universal question – what happens when we die? The Spirit World answers this question in a very realistic and matter-of-fact way. Casting aside the fear of the unknown and deciding to help the living, a selfless quest that leads, for our protagonists, to the fulfillment of their own humble desires. This is the life-affirming message of the Spirit World: that creative impulse can bear fruit for healing family bonds, if carried out with selfless intent. From a technical perspective, The Spirit World ticks all the boxes for audience engagement. The sympathetic performances will draw you in, the beautiful landscapes of Takasaki and Chiba (and the seascapes) provide the perfect feast for the eyes, and it pays homage to the musical artists of the 60s and 70s, a golden age of creativity that you may never experience again. A sweet and heartfelt cinematic experience for anyone who has felt the pull of creativity and love for family.