14/32
The Singapore premiere, which is also the film’s Southeast Asian premiere, will be screened jointly at the 40th edition of the vOilah!
Narrative
Follow a singer who suddenly dies while on tour in Japan, but her spirit lives on and sets out to find humanity in the afterlife. French Film Festival and the Singapore International Film Festival… Spirit World is a multi-layered film that is essentially about two very human impulses.
One, the creative instinct that drives artists and two, the emotional need for family bonds
At the very beginning of the film, we are introduced to three characters who have lost touch with both of these defined impulses. Singer-songwriter Claire (Deneuve), Yuzo (Sakai) – a former songwriter, now a piano tuner – and her estranged son Hayato (Takenouchi), an anime director whose best work is now seemingly behind him.
in life, to find solutions to the unsettled problems of life
These three characters are required to make decisions and actions in death and the period after it. This is of course a very idealized perspective on this universal question – what happens after we die?
Spirit World answers this question in a very realistic, objective way
Putting aside the fear of the unknown, and making the decision to help the living, is a selfless mission that results in the fulfillment of our own humble desires. This is the life-affirming message of Spirit World: that the creative impulse bears fruit for healing family bonds when exercised with selfless intent.
From a technical perspective, Spirit World ticks all the boxes for audience engagement
The appealing performances draw in the beautiful Takasaki and Chiba landscapes (and seascapes) for pure eye-candy, and pay homage to the musical artists of the 60s and 70s, a golden age of creativity that will never be witnessed again. A sweet and heartfelt cinematic experience for anyone who has felt the pull and love of creativity in their family.