Saudâji (Katsuya Tomita, 2011)

Saudade follows a group of disaffected Japanese youths as they seek to come to terms with their identity in a modern-day Japan that does not readily offer them a niche or opportunities. Some are builders, others bar hostesses and wannabe hip-hop artists. The addition to the mix of the exclusion felt by Brazilian-Japanese and Thai immigrants gives the film another layer which serves as a serious declaration of political intent on the part of the director. As such, it's of primarily anthropological interest to a western audience, with subjects which Japanese cinema has rarely touched on, and it is overlong for what it has to say, with little of real consequence occurring. Nevertheless, the freshness of the perspective is welcome.

5/10