The Passenger (2005 film)
Encyclopedia
The Passenger is a film written and directed by François Rotger
. It was produced in France, Canada, and Japan; and has dialogue in French, Japanese and English.
It was nominated in the 2005 edition of the Locarno International Film Festival
, the Tokyo International Film Festival
, and Angers's Premiers Plans
European Film Festival.
From his early work, 74km avec elle (8 min, France, 35mm color) and Jan (21 min, France, HDcam color) author/director François Rotger explores the themes of deception
and betrayal
within the family circle, often leading to sudden and extreme violence
.
Naoki Sando (Yosuke Natsuki) discovers his daughter Hiroko (Kumi Kaneko) in bed with his adopted son Kohji (Yusuke Iseya
). Three years later, Kohji is working the streets as a hustler
, still yearning for a way to earn his estranged father's approval to continue his borderline incestuous relationship.
Hiroko sees a way back to her brother's arms when Sando's shady colleague Marc Tanner (François Trottier) absconds to Canada with gambling funds destined for the big boss. Presumably with her father's permission, she calls Kohji and tells him to hurry to Montréal, recover the money and kill Tanner.
François Rotger
François Rotger is a Canadian independent film director.Former photographer and music video director, his first feature film The Passenger debuted at the 2005 Locarno International Film Festival....
. It was produced in France, Canada, and Japan; and has dialogue in French, Japanese and English.
It was nominated in the 2005 edition of the Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
, the Tokyo International Film Festival
Tokyo International Film Festival
Tokyo International Film Festival is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biannually from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter...
, and Angers's Premiers Plans
Premiers Plans
The Premiers Plans festival takes place in Angers every year in January. It is dedicated to European first films, and is meant to help new directors meet their audience....
European Film Festival.
From his early work, 74km avec elle (8 min, France, 35mm color) and Jan (21 min, France, HDcam color) author/director François Rotger explores the themes of deception
Deception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
and betrayal
Betrayal
Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations...
within the family circle, often leading to sudden and extreme violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
.
Synopsis
YakuzaYakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
Naoki Sando (Yosuke Natsuki) discovers his daughter Hiroko (Kumi Kaneko) in bed with his adopted son Kohji (Yusuke Iseya
Yusuke Iseya
is a Japanese actor.He was born in Tokyo, Japan. With his modeling career , Yūsuke is known for Loreal , Men's Nonno magazine, Prada , and Asahi Aqua Blue....
). Three years later, Kohji is working the streets as a hustler
Hustler
Hustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
, still yearning for a way to earn his estranged father's approval to continue his borderline incestuous relationship.
Hiroko sees a way back to her brother's arms when Sando's shady colleague Marc Tanner (François Trottier) absconds to Canada with gambling funds destined for the big boss. Presumably with her father's permission, she calls Kohji and tells him to hurry to Montréal, recover the money and kill Tanner.
External links
- The Passenger official website
- Festival International Premiers Plans The Passenger in Angers festival
- Libération interview by Didier Peron
- review by Diane Pernet
- Variety review by Jay Weissberg
- Libération review by Philippe Azoury
- trailers on Allocine
- Cine Asie review on Cine Asie
- Telerama review by Frederic Strauss
- review by Alexandre Martinazzo