The first dramatic feature from Ryuichi Sakamoto’s son, Neo Sora (Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus), is a “story about the near future,” a Japan constantly rocked by earthquakes and plunging toward dystopia. Best friends Kou and Yuta are in their graduating year at high school when one night they pull a major prank on their principal. The knock-on effect is the installation of a high-tech surveillance system. With this totalitarian panopticon and the general ambiance of looming government oppression, things are looking bad for our young rabble-rousers…
Teen comedy and political protest make for a good match in Happyend, and when you add thumping techno tunes; great performances from the two leads; and winning turns from the secondary cast, the result is a blast. Shirô Sano’s cantankerous principal is the perfect foil for Kou and Yuta, and the boys’ antics are all the more winning in the face of his authoritarianism. This zesty, creative, and quite moving film shows that teen hijinks are funny even in the face of catastrophe.
Supported by
Media Partner
Hayato Kurihara, HIDAKA, Yuta Hayashi, Shina Peng, Arazi, Kilala Inori
Japan/USA
2024
In Japanese with English subtitles
At Vancouver Playhouse
At Fifth Avenue
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Kaoru Hayashi, Douglas Choi, Robina Riccitiello, Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Producer
Albert Tholen, Aiko Masubuchi, Eric Nyari, Alex C. Lo, Anthony Chen
Screenwriter
Neo Sora
Cinematography
Bill Kirstein
Editor
Albert Tholen
Production Design
Norifumi Ataka
Original Music
Lia Ouyang Rusli
Neo Sora
Raised in New York and Tokyo, Neo Sora is a filmmaker, artist, and translator living between the two cities. He directed the feature-length concert film Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2023) which premiered at Venice. He is the director/writer of the short films The Chicken (Locarno 2020) and Sugar Glass Bottle (Indie Memphis 2022, Best Narrative Short), and was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film” in 2021. Happyend is his debut fiction feature as a writer/director.
Filmography: Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2023)
Photo by Aiko Masubuchi
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Ryan Oliver Plays John Coltrane + Chasing Trane Documentary
To celebrate the centenary of the great John Coltrane, we're hosting a live performance by saxophonist Ryan Oliver and his quartet, followed by a screening of the definitive documentary, Chasing Trane (99 min).
American Doctor
One of the most powerful documentaries of the year, this puts us smack in the open wound that is Gaza, filtered through the eyes of three American surgeons (of Palestinian, Jewish and Zoroastrian backgrounds) compelled to do their utmost to alleviate harm.
The Last Picture Shows
Rustin Thompson journeys into the American West on a search for traces of what was once a center of small-town life: the movie theater. Despite the struggles of recent times, he also discovers inspiring stories of hope and community.
All the Lovers in the Night
A lonely proofreader's isolated world begins to open through an unlikely friendship with a gentle physics teacher. Based on Mieko Kawakami's acclaimed novel, this luminous drama is a delicate meditation on loneliness, intimacy, and self-discovery.