“This story makes no sense,” afrustrated German police officer says at the beginning of Lars Henning’s darktale Oshima (大島, 2010), and asks the Japanese languageinterpreter to have the haggard and bruised-looking salaryman before him torepeat his story one more time from the beginning. The man introduces himself as Taburo Oshimaand says that he just arrived from Tokyo on business.
The opening credits are positionedover the clouds and a girl’s voice tells us that this is the story of herfather, who in October 2002 came to Germany on business with plans ofcontinuing on to the United States. The tale that he told to the police is thelast official record of his existence. He disappeared without a trace. The girl mysteriously goes on to explain that while her mother nevertold her what happened that night, she nevertheless knows what happened thatnight.
Oshima, played byJapan-born/Germany-raised actor Yuki Iwamoto, arrives in Germany in ahaze. In addition to jet lag, Oshima maybe experiencing extreme side effects from the depression medication Opipramolthat he consumes on the flight. Hepasses out upon arrival at the airport, and is looked after by an airport employee(Hakan Orbeyi). He somewhat recovers and stumbles out of thebaggage retrieval area into the arms of an eager-to-curry-favour Germanbusinessman, Herr Kleinschmidt (Devid Striesow), and his interpreter, Frau Izumi(Nina Fog).
Oshima’s wooziness continues in thecar journey to the hotel and over the course of this half hour dramatic short,he passes in and out of consciousness due to a mixture of over-medication,alcohol consumption, and just plain exhaustion. Oshima seems disinterested in his business dealings with HerrKleinschmidt and barely even aware of his surroundings for most of thefilm. In an off-hand comment to FrauIzumi, which she curiously does not translate to her boss, Oshima reveals thathe has lost his entire family in an accident. Izumi is drawn to him, but at the same timesuspicious that this man may not be who he says he is. Are we witnessing the mental collapse of asalaryman or is there something more going on here? Oshima’s vision of a white unicorn on thedarkened streets of this anonymous German city suggest deeper layers to this man’sstory which the viewer must unravel for him/herself.
The ambiguity of the storyline couldhave been disastrous if not for the sensitive and subtle acting performances ofIwamoto and Fog. Their faces are very expressive and hint at a deeper emotional story than is implicit in thedialogue and narration. Lars Henning (b. 1976, Hamburg) is the director of the muchacclaimed short Security (2006) which won prizes at the Avanca Film Festivaland Lübeck Nordic Film Days. He pursueda postgraduate degree in television and film at the Academy of Media ArtsCologne (Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln) between 2006 and 2010. This is his fourth short film. It is a melancholic tale with beautifully executedtransitions. The cinematographer, CarolBurandt von Kameke, and crew have done a remarkable job of lighting these very dark night scenes with great skill. Many scenes have a masterful chiaroscuro look. With most young filmmakerstoday opting to go digital for budgetary reasons, it is a real delight todiscover a short film shot beautifully on 35mm funded by culturalinstitutions. Oshima is a rare gem thatshowed on arte before Christmas and at Japan Week in Frankfurt in November. Looking forward to seeing more work by thisdirector.
Catherine Munroe Hotes 2012
Credits
director: Lars Henning
screenwriter: Lars Henning
cinematographer: Carol Burandt vonKameke
production company: Radical Movies / Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln
producer: Ulrich Otto
34 minutes / 35mm
shot on location in North RhineWestphalia
Cast
Yuki Iwamoto Taburo Oshima
Nina Fog Frau Izumi, the Interpreter
Devid Striesow HerrKleinschmidt, the Businessman
Karolina Porcari Laika, exotic Dancer
Hakan Orbeyi Momo, man in airport
Jens Wachholz Police Officer 1
Markus Haase Police Officer 2
Remo Hofer Night Porter
Tanja Desen Airline Staff
Rosa Bergmann Girl with Wings / Naoko / voice overnarration
Melanie Kühn Exotic Dancer
Pia Passion Exotic Dancer
Marie Iguchi voice over
Lars Henning Filmography
2005 Koslowski (15‘)
2006 Security (13‘)
2009 Driving Elodie (19‘)
2010 Oshima (35mm, 34‘)
