EVIL DOES NOT EXIST
DRAMA | JAPANESE | 106 MIN
Takumi and his daughter Hana live in Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo. Like generations before them, they live a modest life according to the cycles and order of nature. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a glamping site near Takumi’s house; offering city residents a comfortable ‘escape’ to nature. When two company representatives from Tokyo arrive in the village to hold a meeting, it becomes clear that the project will have a negative impact on the local water supply, causing unrest. The agency’s mismatched intentions endanger both the ecological balance of the nature plateau and their way of life, with an aftermath that affects Takumi’s life deeply.
From the director of Oscar® and BAFTA winner Drive My Car.
DIRECTOR Ryusuke Hamaguchi
CAST Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani, Hazuki Kikuchi, Hiroyuki Miura
COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION Japan
"enigmatic eco-parable... rippling in my mind long after the finale"
★★★★
— The Guardian
"gorgeous eco-fable that ends with a mythical mic drop"
★★★★
— Time Out
"mesmerises as much as it mystifies... like escaping the city for pure air”
★★★★
— Total Film
“beautiful and meditative ... derives its power from this soulful entwining”
★★★★
— HeyUGuys
“haunting, glacial depiction of the gulf between capitalism and environmentalism"
— Little White Lies
“the teasing title gradually insinuates itself”
— Financial Times
Festivals + Awards
Venice Film Festival - World Premiere
Official Competition
Winner: Silver Lion - Grand Jury Prize
Toronto International Film Festival
Official Selection - Special Presentation
New York Film Festival
Official Selection - Main Slate
San Sebastian International Film Festival
Winner: Lurra - Greenpeace Award
BFI London Film Festival - UK Premiere
Official Competition
Winner: Best Film
Dublin Film Festival - Irish Premiere
Official Selection
Winner: Best Editing
Asian Film Academy Awards
Winner: Best Film and Best Music
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Winner: Jury Grand Prize
The Gotham Awards
Nominee: Best Screenplay