Archive

Closing Film

Sana

SHIMIZU Takashi

Japan2023102min World Premiere

Synopsis

“Please, listen to my song.”
A staff member at a broadcasting station stumbles upon a forgotten cassette tape gathering dust in a storage room and takes it to a radio show hosted by an idol member. There is a faint humming sound of a girl on the tape. Concerned about a missing group member, the idol's manager hires a private detective to locate him within three days, just before an important concert. The detective conducts interviews with each member, hoping to unravel the mystery. However, as the investigation progresses, the idol members fall victim to a haunting curse, succumbing to fear one by one. It becomes evident that the cursed cassette tape holds the key to their predicament, and as the detective investigates the identity of the mysterious voice on the tape, then confronts a shocking truth hidden beneath the curse. BIFAN proudly presents the world premiere of Sana, the latest work by acclaimed filmmaker Shimizu Takashi. This highly anticipated film has generated curiosity with its intriguing marketing approach. Known as a master of J-horror, Shimizu Takashi skillfully blends sound horror and idol culture elements in his new creation. With his signature directing style, Shimizu keeps the audience on the edge of their seats throughout the film. The story initially begins with a lighter tone, depicting backstage scenes and featuring an eccentric private investigator, but it takes a darker turn, ultimately leading to a heavy and tragic conclusion.

Program Note

“Please listen to my song.”
A staff member at a radio station stumbles upon a forgotten cassette tape gathering dust in a storage room, and delivers it to a radio show hosted by a pop idol. There is a faint humming sound of a girl on the tape. The idol’s manager approaches a private detective and asks for help in finding a missing person. The detective conducts interviews with each staff member, hoping to unravel the mystery. However, they fall victim to a haunting curse, each succumbing to fear one by one. As the detective delves into the identity of the voice recorded on the cassette tape, he encounters the shocking truth behind the curse.
Shimizu Takashi, a figure synonymous with J-Horror, unveils his latest work, Sana for the first time at BIFAN. Known for his mastery of sustaining tension throughout, he skillfully intertwines sound horror with the idols’ behind the scenes lives in this masterpiece. Sana will keep you on the edge of your seat, unable to shake off the lingering suspense. Be careful not to unwittingly hum along with the “hook song” and fall under the spell. (Ellen Y. D. KIM)

Diretor

SHIMIZU Takashi

Born 1972, Gunma Prefecture. After studying theater in college and serving as an assistant director, he made his directorial debut in 1998. As a original creator of ‘Ju-on’ series, which was remade in Hollywood, he became the first Japanese director to reach No. 1 at the US box office. Recently, he created the 'Horror Village Series' trilogy and also directed outside the horror genre, such as Kiki's Delivery Service (2014), The Blue Hearts (2017), and Homunculus (2021). Sana is his second directorial work in 2023, following Immersion.