Synopsis

Shiori’s husband decides not to attend a workshop they were supposed to join together. Shiori asks Junnosuke, a fill-in introduced by Shiori’s colleague, to join the workshop as her acting husband. Satisfied with Junnosuke, Shiori secretly rents an apartment and begins a pseudo-marital life with him.

Director’s bio

Yo Graduated from Beijing Film Academy in 2015. She studied Japanese on her own while working, and came to Japan in 2018. After completing a one-year Japanese language program at Waseda University, she studied at Tokyo Visual Arts, Video Production course in 2019 and entered Rikkyo University Graduate School in 2020. She studied directing under Professor Kunitoshi Manda. She creates self-produced films, besides working as a film PR agent. Double Life is Yo’s debut feature.

Curator Note

Director’s statement

Double Life is my first feature film, and I was able to complete it with a lot of support. In the process of making this film, I think I have changed and grown a lot, like the main character, Shiori. Both I and the character, who have a “hole that cannot be filled”, come into contact with others and they fill the holes. I sincerely hope to come into contact with all of you through Double Life.

Festival & Awards

Double Life had its world premiere at SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL 2022 and won the Best Picture for the Japanese Film Competition.

The film was recently selected for the First Feature Competition of the 26th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF).

Casts

Atsuko KIKUCHI, Shingo MATSUOKA, Hiromi FURUKAWA, Hiromi WAKASA, Mai ASADA, Sayaka KAWAGUCHI

Credits

Cinematography: Takumi KOHAMA

Lighting: Shintaro MURASAWA

Music: Haru KAWASHIMA

Art Director: Sakuu EN, Kyodo CHOW

Sound Recording: Sota NISHIDA

Assistant Director: Keita KOBAYASHI