Happiness
- Wednesday, May 24, 17:00 Mousonturm Saal
- ハピネス
- Japan / Germany 2016, DCP, 91 min, Japanese with English subtitles
- Director & script: SABU
- Production: Live Max Films, Rapid Eye Movies
- Camera: Koichi FURUYA
- Distribution: Rapid Eye Movies
- Cast: Masatoshi NAGASE, Hiroki SUZUKI, Erika OKUDA, Tetsuya CHIBA, Arisa NAKAJIMA
- German premiere
- Competition Nippon Cinema Award
A mysterious man named Kanzaki arrives in a small town with his odd invention: a helmet that allows everyone wearing it to re-experience the happiest moment of their lives. The mayor is enthusiastic and asks Kanzaki to stay. But there is a dark aspect in Kanzaki’s agenda. Cult director SABU presents a drama of existentialist vigor that will hit you like a punch in the gut.
Director’s Bio
Hiroyuki TANAKA, better known under his pseudonym SABU, was born in Wakayama Prefecture in 1964. His directing debut D.A.N.G.A.N. RUNNER (1996) was shown at various international film festivals. Many awards and regular invitations to the Berlinale followed, where he won the FIPRESCI Award in 2000 for MONDAY. Apart from working as a director, SABU is also active as an actor.
Filmography (selection)
2002 Drive (NC ’03); 2005 Dead Run (Shisso / NC ’06); 2011 Bunny Drop (Usagi doroppu); 2015 Chasuke’s Journey (Ten no Chasuke / NC ’15); 2017 Mr. Long