Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

Released Apr 14, 2023

1h 50m

Fantasy

Animation

Drama

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List

78%

27 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

A lost cat, a voluble giant toad and a tsunami help an unambitious salesman, his frustrated wife and a schizophrenic accountant save Tokyo from an earthquake and find meaning in their lives.

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Adam R

A visual delight. Don't try to understand too much. Looking forward to watching again.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/22/24

Full Review

Ro I

I loved the calm pace, the raw human experiences and the vastness of murakami's imagination.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/05/23

Full Review

rafael f

one of the best films ever, brilliant

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/09/23

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bryce y

They don't really think the characters look particularly Japanese. They looked a bit odd but the film was beautiful and strange. It's one of the best cinematic adaptations of Murakami's writing that I've seen.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/03/23

Full Review

Chris J

Genre: Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi Year Released: 2023 Runtime: 1h 48m Director(s): Pierre Földes Writer(s): Pierre Földes, Haruki Murakami Cast: Amaury de Crayencour, Mathilde Auneveux, Arnaud Maillard Where To Watch: Now Available on DVD and Major VOD Platforms here www.kinolorber.com, or https://amzn.to/3rw6ZqK RAVING REVIEW: Stepping onto the directorial stage, Composer and now Director Pierre Földes invites us into a captivating odyssey, creating a colorful explosion of daily existence blended with elements of the extraordinary in his animated spectacle, BLIND WILLOW, SLEEPING WOMAN. Tapping into the creative river of renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami, Földes crafts a mesmerizing narrative that blends the ordinary with the fantastic. Set in the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, our trio finds themselves swallowed in the monotony of daily life, only to be pulled into an otherworldly reality when they encounter a colossal frog and a mysterious feline. These extraordinary circumstances ignite the spark of an incredible journey, pushing the boundaries of reality as we know it. In BLIND WILLOW, SLEEPING WOMAN, the narrative is a vortex of interconnected stories that evoke whimsy and provoke thought. Arnaud Maillard's character, Katagiri, allies with a giant frog, thrust into an unlikely mission to safeguard Tokyo from a looming earthquake. Concurrently, Mathilde Auneveux's character, Kyoko, ruminates over an odd exchange with a hotel manager following her separation from Komura, brought to life by Amaury de Crayencour. Komura himself embarks on a quest to find his absent feline, encountering an enigmatic woman during a brief holiday. The movie cleverly uses unique animation styles to differentiate between the commonplace and the fantastic. Characters navigating through their bewildering circumstances are portrayed in vivid colors. At the same time, the rest of the world is drawn in muted, softer tones, emphasizing the subtle boundary that separates the tangible from the imagined. Földes demonstrates a unique approach to directing, perfectly capturing the surreal ambiance of Murakami's universe. He pushes the envelope of narrative style, pairing profound symbolism with conventional storytelling and juxtaposing it with remarkable situations, such as an earthquake-preventing amphibian. The film echoes the tragic 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan. This calamity forces a profound introspection within our protagonists, Katagiri, Kyoko, and Komura. They are compelled to question their aspirations, embarking on an enlightening journey of self-discovery, coming face-to-face with their true selves. Although BLIND WILLOW, SLEEPING WOMAN is an animation with an engaging narrative and inventive adaptation of Murakami's storytelling, it is not a kid's movie due to its complex narrative structure and mature content. BLIND WILLOW, SLEEPING WOMAN exhibits a unique aesthetic where background elements and peripheral characters are rendered almost transparent. This directs viewers to focus on the essential aspects, prompting a deeper exploration of the narrative's subtext. The film beautifully illustrates how extraordinary events can act as a catalyst for personal growth and transformation. The magic often confined to dreams can trickle into our waking reality. Földes's decision to adopt only selected segments of Murakami's stories doesn't detract from the film's potency. Instead, it intrigues viewers, inviting them to engage in a more interactive narrative interpretation. Though not exclusively a comedy, BLIND WILLOW, SLEEPING WOMAN balances its existential themes with moments of humor and whimsy. Földes's handling of the multiple narratives reflects Murakami's enigmatic storytelling style, allowing viewers to unravel each strand as it comes. All in all, BLIND WILLOW, SLEEPING WOMAN serves as a delightful exploration into magical realism, masterfully navigating the labyrinth of life's intricacies. For more reviews, please visit – https://linktr.ee/Overlyhonestmoviereviews for more info. Follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Find my social media accounts on most platforms simply by searching Overly Honest Movie Reviews. I'm always happy to hear from my readers; please say hi or send me any questions about movies.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/13/23

Full Review

StephenPaul C

The greatest 01 hour: and 50 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/12/23

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Pierre Földes

Director

Katherine King

Shimao

Shoshana Wilder

Kyoko

Jesse Noah Gruman

Junpei

John Vamvas

Manager

Amaury de Crayencour

Komura

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Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman: Trailer 1

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Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman is no less insightful into the mercurial vicissitudes of the human condition, but it still finds space for Murakami the fabulist.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jun 1, 2023

Full Review

Pat Padua

Washington Post

There are sequences of efficient dialogue that — if you close your eyes — unspool the kind of low-key, elliptical tension that Murakami seems to be able to pull off in his sleep. But ... the aggressively odd visuals ruin the illusion.

Rated: 2/4

May 31, 2023

Full Review

Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

A very odd story, but the conversations... are absolutely fascinating.

Apr 24, 2023

Full Review

James Marsh

South China Morning Post

The visually adventurous, gleefully surreal work combines an assortment of Murakami’s writing into a wholly immersive, otherworldly odyssey of urban malaise and imminent global disaster.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 19, 2023

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Whang Yee Ling

The Straits Times (Singapore)

Turns out animation is the ideal medium for the whimsy and melancholy of Murakami’s fables.

Rated: 4/5

May 17, 2023

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

The mixed defeatism, gentle absurdist humor, and discreet sentimentality of Murakami’s work proves ideally translatable to this particular screen medium, in which its winsome charm never cloys.

May 1, 2023

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Synopsis

A lost cat, a voluble giant toad and a tsunami help an unambitious salesman, his frustrated wife and a schizophrenic accountant save Tokyo from an earthquake and find meaning in their lives.

Director: Pierre Földes
Screenwriter: Pierre Földes
Distributor: Zeitgeist Films
Production Co: Ciné+, Crédit d'Impôt pour la Production Cinématographique ou Magnétoscopique Canadienne, Studio Mad, Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Crédit d'Impôt Cinéma et Télévision, Cinémadefacto, Nederlands Filmfonds, Miyu Productions, Gestion SODEC, Fondation GAN pour le Cinéma, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Société de Développement des Entreprises Culturelles (SODEC), Creative Europe Media, Cinéaxe, Cinéventure 5, Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, An Original Picture, Cinémage 14, Doghouse Films, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Cinéma, Eurimages, The Harold Greenberg Fund, Centre National du Cinéma et de L'image Animée, Téléfilm Canada, arte France Cinéma, micro_scope, La Région Île-de-France, Luxembourg Film Fund, Arte France, La Procirep-Angoa, Productions l'Unite Centrale
Genre: Fantasy, Animation, Drama
Original Language: French
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 14, 2023, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 13, 2023
Box Office (Gross USA): $47.5K
Runtime: 1h 50m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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