Air Doll (2009)

A present-day fable for the increasing disconnect we find in urban life, Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Air Doll transports the Galatea myth to present day Tokyo. When an inflatable sex doll named Nozomi (Bae Doona) finds that she has grown consciousness and a heart, she begins to wander the city in quiet awe and fascination. As she takes on a new life of her own, Nozomi also discovers the innate complexities of being human, including the heartbreak of loneliness. Joining forces with cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-Bing (In The Mood for Love), Kore-eda’s intimate direction relays the struggles of finding human connection in the mess of modern society.

• Official Selection, 2009 Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard)
• Winner, AQCC Award, 2010 Fantasia Festival
• Nominee, Best Actress, 2010 Japan Academy Film Prize

“It’s one of those films that can haunt viewers long after they’ve left the theater.” —NPR

“An achingly beautiful meditation on loneliness and longing in the city” —The Hollywood Reporter

Note: This feature is soft-subtitled. Please click on the “CC” button in the lower-right corner of the player to enable English subtitles

Streaming in the U.S. from February 5-25 as part of 21st Century Japan: Films from 2001-2020

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