TAKSU | 欲動 (Japan, 2014)
Directed by: Kiki Sugino
Starring: Yoko Mitsuya, Takumi Saito, Kiki Sugino, Tom Mes

Along with his wife Yuri (Yoko Mitsuya Yoko), the dying Chihiro (Takumi Saito) arrives in Bali to visit his pregnant sister Kumi (Kiki Sugino) and her Dutch husband Luke (film critic Tom Mes). With long takes and a measured pace, the film allows the cast to really dive into their roles. Focusing on each couple’s inability to communicate, their needs and desires driving them further and further apart, Taksu is content to let sadness and melancholy permeate its beautiful scenic backgrounds. Erotic, existential, and rich in atmosphere, this film continues to prove that Kiki Sugino is an independent director to watch, even with only three films under her belt.