August Without Emperor

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DanTheMan 2 Jan 12 Unfolding as a mosaic of conversations, memories and confrontations, August Without Emperor is truly odd beast, one that I was unsure about for a lot of its runtime, as demanding and rigorous as it is stark and bleakly cynical, reflecting a society struggling to define itself after the collapse of imperial authority. Directed by Masahiro Shinoda and offering little in the way of sentimentality, the politically charged storytelling is made all the more uncomfortable with its portrayal of right wing militarists attempting to stage a coup against the government. Something that feels starkly familiar nowadays. Presenting political disillusionment as something cold, unresolved and deeply personal. With its gripping central performances and incredible score by Masaru Satô, August Without Emperor is not an easy film, its power lying in its refusal to offer answers, standing instead as a rigorous cinematic essay on identity, authority and the aftermath of historical rupture. See more Read all reviews

August Without Emperor

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