“As he's done before, Hamaguchi gives us characters who are too complicated and richly drawn to be reduced to any one type. Yet that doesn't explain how hauntingly different this movie feels from his other work.” - Justin Chang, NPR
“In its own discreet, modest way, EVIL DOES NOT EXIST leaves us with a haunting sense of personal and ecological apocalypse.” - Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine/Vulture
In the rural alpine hamlet of Mizubiki, not far from Tokyo, Takumi and his daughter, Hana, lead a modest life gathering water, wood, and wild wasabi for the local udon restaurant. Increasingly, the townsfolk become aware of a talent agency’s plan to build an opulent glamping site nearby, offering city residents a comfortable “escape” to the snowy wilderness. When two company representatives arrive and ask for local guidance, Takumi becomes conflicted in his involvement, as it becomes clear that the project will have a pernicious impact on the community. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s follow up to his Academy Award®-winning DRIVE MY CAR is a foreboding fable on humanity's mysterious, mystical relationship with nature. As sinister gunshots echo from the forest, both the locals and representatives confront their life choices and the haunting consequences they have. (Janus Films)
Awards & Nominations
Winner - Silver Lion, Grand Jury Prize, Venice Film Festival
Nominee - Best Film, Venice Film Festival
Winner - Best Film, Asian Film Awards
Be Kind, Rewind: Join us as we review the best and biggest films from 2024––from favorite titles that graced the Film Center’s screens, to movies that thrilled audiences across the country. As the days left on 2024’s calendar slip past, the Film Center invites you to consider how these films reveal not just the movies of the year, but 2024 itself. Read more
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu