FFM26 - Soudain

Ryūsuke Hamaguchi (Oscar winner with 'Drive My Car') can also direct in French! And Virginie Efira can speak Japanese! 'Soudain (All of a Sudden') may be a low-key drama that revolves around caring, old age and humanity, but as a work of art it seems almost monumental in all its humanistic power. The action takes place primarily in a French nursing home, where the manager Marie-Lou (Virginie Efira) tries to introduce a more empathetic method of care. Along the way, she meets the Japanese theater director (Tao Okamato), who is seriously ill and whose character opens up a more existential and emotional layer in the narrative. The three-hour-long film develops into a poetic meditation on the fragility of life, but also contains a merciless analysis of capitalism. The two female lead actors deservedly shared the Best Actress award at Cannes, where the film had its world premiere in competition.

Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Starring: Virginie Efira, Tao Okamoto, Kyôzô Nagatsuka
Genre: Drama
Running time: 196 min.
Original title: All of a Sudden