Harmonium

MASTERS OF ASIAN CINEMA
Introduced by Massimiliano Tomasi

Harmonium won the Jury Prize at Cannes in 2016. Like Fukada’s other films, it is a compelling examination the concept of giri, the specifically Japanese sense of the complex web of social obligations. Harmonium is a Dostoevskian tale involving a family of three, the metal shop that they own and run, and an ex-con who comes into the picture. The film develops in some surprising directions, so the less said here the better. But it is a somber and unflinching exploration of contemporary human isolation.