Kotoko

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Movie: Kotoko
Romaji: Kotoko
Japanese: KOTOKO
Director: Shinya Tsukamoto
Writer: Shinya Tsukamoto
Producer: Shinya Tsukamoto
Cinematographer: Shinya Tsukamoto
World Premiere: September 8, 2011 (Venice Film Festival)
Release Date: April 7, 2012
Runtime: 91 min.
Genre: Drama
Distributor: Makotoya
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan

Plot

A single mother (Cocco) becomes afflicted with double vision. Taking care of her newborn baby becomes a nightmare as the mother also becomes paranoid. The only time the mother doesn't see double is when she sings. She also finds solace in cutting herself, allowing her blood to drip free and able to feel alive. A terrifying nervous breakdown ensues. When things spiral out of control, her baby is taken away.

She then rides a bus and sings to herself. A man (Shinya Tsukamoto) sitting nearby listens to her wonderful voice. He begins to stalk her. The man is an award winning novelist who has fallen in love with the woman. They begin a volatile relationship. The woman's paranoia and vision slowly improves. Eventually her baby is returned, but her vision worsens ....

Cast

Cocco - Kotoko
Shinya Tsukamoto

Trailers

Image Gallery

Film Festivals

2011 (68th) Venice Film Festival - August 31-September 10, 2011 - Orizzonti *World Premiere
2011 (36th) Toronto International Film Festival - September 8-18, 2011 - Visions *North American Premiere
2011 (16th) Busan International Film Festival - October 6-14, 2011 - A Window on Asian Cinema
2011 (44rd) Sitges Film Festival - October 6-16, 2011 - Noves Visions - Fiction
2011 (12th) TOKYO FILMeX - November 19- 27, 2011 - Special Screenings
2012 (41st) International Film Festival Rotterdam - January 25-February 5, 2012 - Spectrum *Dutch Premiere
2012 (30th) Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival - April 5-17, 2012 - 7th Orbit Competition
2012 (12th) Nippon Connection - May 2-May 6, 2012 - Nippon Cinema *German Premiere

Awards

Orizzonti Award - 2011 (68th) Venice Film Festival - August 31-September 10, 2011

Comments

Comment #1
Ki Says:
Oct 14 2011 2:02 am

Watched "Kotoko" at the Busan International Film Festival and felt torn between the movie. The movie gives a nightmarish, surreal look into severe postpartum depression. Singer Cocco gives a mesmerizing performance as the mother on the verge of a mental breakdown. Yet, I had a difficult time watching the story unfold. Almost like sitting in the middle of an insane asylum and seeing a person's breakdown occur right in front of you. That's just not something I found entertaining. I'm also pretty squeamish when it comes to knives/razor blades and there is a fair amount of that.

Technically "Kotoko" is an excellant film, but the combination of Shinya Tsukamoto's affection for the nightmarish surreal world and the closeup depiction of a woman going mad just wasn't something I could enjoy. Fans of Shinya Tsukamoto will love the movie and people interested in dark, surreal, nightmarish subject matter should also check out the movie. I wouldn't watch this movie again if someone paid me $100.