In the Wake
15
A strange serial murder case unfolds in Sendai, nine years after the city was ravaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami: two social workers are found starved to death after being tied up and abandoned. Both were involved in the processing of welfare benefit claims after the disaster.
Prefectural investigator TOMASHINO (ABE Hiroshi) identifies TONE (SATOH Takeru), an ex-convict trying to rebuild his life after serving prison time for arson and assault, as a prime suspect in the case. But the evidence still doesn’t fully come together. If TOMASHINO is to solve this mystery, he must delve beyond the surface into the roots of the case and face truths about the 2011 disaster that will change the system forever.
Screening as part of The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2025.
Details
“Some panoramic shots, and a number of night ones, are a true wonder to look at, in a film that manages to be quite beautiful, despite its dramatic premises.”
Asian Movie Pulse
“In The Wake is a sad and powerful film for many reasons, reminding us that even with the passage of time, catastrophic events such as these leave scars which may never heal.”
Lilithia Reviews