Confessions

On the last day of term, a grieving middle school teacher (Takako Matsu) reveals that two of her students are responsible for the death of her four-year-old daughter, who was found drowned in the school swimming pool. She delivers a planned confession—a death knell detailing her carefully planned vengeance—that leaves the typically raucous classroom reeling and prompts the students’ psychological torment that follows. A dark and stylish odyssey of increasingly disquieting proportions, Nakashima’s lavishly shot, breathless thriller took Japan by storm upon release and eventually landed on the shortlist for the 2011 Academy Awards Foreign Language Film nominations. Please note: This film contains disturbing scenes of graphic violence. Viewer discretion is advised.

• Winner, Best Film, Best Supporting Actress (Yoshino Kimura) at 2010 Blue Ribbon Awards
• Winner, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay at 2010 Japan Academy Film Prize
• Winner, Best Asian Film, 2011 Hong Kong Film Awards

“A cold-blooded psychological thriller filled with dark, vicious humor which smirks at us and the victims even at the very end. With an uncompromising attitude, it handles well it’s disturbing subject with the impressive visual style and savage wit.” —RogerEbert.com

“Offsetting the shrillness of its melodrama with the sedateness of its pace, Confessions is a bombastic, almost operatic affair that masks its Heathers-like satire behind an entirely straight face – until, that is, its final punchline.” —Sight & Sound

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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