Kjókaiši

The late, great Ren Osugi stars as a prison chaplain working on death row in this thought-provoking chamber drama - his final film as an actor and first as a producer. Visiting with a regular roster of inmates who await their final sentence - including a converted ex-yakuza and a philosophy-spouting mass murderer - the newly appointed clergyman gradually learns of their circumstances and is forced to confront his own understanding of life, death and salvation. Featuring unforgettable characters and a restrained visual style, Dai Sako’s searching film takes on the rarely-addressed topic of Japan’s death penalty in order to question the state of the country’s soul. (Japan Cuts)