Dark Side of the Light

Based on an actual murder that took place in 1996 in Shibuya, Tokyo, Dark Side of the Light imagines what might have lead to the tragedy. One day, Emi Kinoshita receives a visit from her ex-boyfriend, Takumi Toyonaga. He tells her that her older sister, Tomomi, has disappeared after murdering her husband, Kohei Taninaka.

Takumi was Kohei’s best friend and Emi worries that he may have been involved. Tomomi and Kohei met at a party organized by Takumi, fell in love at first sight and began living together. But when Tomomi discovers Kohei lied to her about being a lawyer, her initial elation disappears. Her heated reaction ignites a latent impulse in Kohei, and his violence toward her begins.

Several months later, Kohei has fulfilled Tomomi’s dream that he work for a blue-chip company, and they get married. Emi attends their wedding party, and sees how happy they seem. But that very night, Kohei beats his bride and leaves her covered with fresh bruises. Apparently, the abuse has now become a daily occurrence…

STAFF

Cinematography : Koichi FURUYA

Gaffer : daiki KATOU

Sound : Tsubasa IWAMA

Production Design : Kuniyasu DAITOU

CAST

Shugo Oshinari

Megumi Hatachiya

Takashi Nagayama

Yuki Sakurai

Erina

Mikiya Sanada

Hiroaki Kawature

Director’s Statement

A wife stays with her husband despite constant abuse, and when he delivers divorce papers, brutally murders him. When I heard about this actual incident, I couldn’t help but wonder what happened between this couple. But I couldn’t ask them, since the husband is dead and the wife is in prison.

As my curiosity about their relationship grew, I tried to imagine what singular form of love they shared. I do not know the truth — no one does — but I could envision what life was like for the husband and wife, living in their pricey high-rise flat in Shibuya,Tokyo. I began to write a script and then shot my film.

Did the husband’s violence turn his wife into a monster? Or did love transform her into a monster? These are the questions I tried to answer in Dark Side of the Light.

—Ryota SAKAMAKI

Ryota Sakamaki Profile

Ryota Sakamaki was born in Tokyo in 1975. Before moving into film, he had a successful career writing and directing for the stage, as well as publishing novels. Sakamaki made his directorial debut with the short film Gamer’s in 2001. The following year, he wrote and directed the feature-

length Moon Overflowing, which won the Grand Prix in the DV Competition at the

Deauville Asian Film Festival (France). As well as has been screened at Singapore International Film Festival, Rhode island international film festival. Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival and so on.
He wrote and directed Death Penalty.Com in 2011. Dark Side of the Light is his third feature.He wrote and directed Death Penalty.Com in

2011. Dark Side of the Light is his third feature.