August in the Water

『水の中の八月』
Mizu no Naka no Hachigatsu

Imported 35mm Print – Featuring Director Gakuryu Ishii In-Person. An unlikely occurrence of cosmic phenomena—outbursts of supernovae, celestial misalignments and twin meteorites with ancient glyphs—coincides with the arrival of transfer student Izumi (Rena Komine). A high dive prodigy, the mysterious girl becomes entangled with the pensive Mao (Shinsuke Aoki), but a diving accident leaves her changed. Beset by strange events—drought, a blistering heat wave and a disease that turns people to stone—Mao joins the convalescing Izumi, now awakened to a heightened consciousness, to search for the source of this cosmic disequilibrium. An evocative daydream infused with the enigma of existence, Ishii’s mid-1990s masterwork is a primordial rite of passage, awash in cloudburst and myth.

Print courtesy of the National Film Archive of Japan.

Dir. Gakuryu Ishii (as Sogo Ishii), 1995, 117 min., 35mm, color, in Japanese with live English subtitles. With Rena Komine, Shinsuke Aoki, Reiko Matsuo.

Classics Bundle: Purchase tickets to all three films in our Classics Section (August in the Water, Mermaid Legend, Moving) to save $3 on each ticket. Tickets for all three films must be purchased at the same time for bundle savings.

Part of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film 2024
July 10—21, 2024

JAPAN CUTS is the largest showcase of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America and an annual highlight of New York’s cinema scene.

Image: © Gakuryu Ishii.

Japan Society programs are made possible by leadership support from Booth Ferris Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Anime NYC and Yen Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund and The John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family and Friends of Film. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the official Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. Housing assistance is provided by the Prince Kitano New York, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film.