Carnival in the Night (1981)

Carnival in the Night 1981 / 闇のカーニバル 1981 / Yami no carnival , Yami no kânibaru

Japanese independent filmmaker Masashi Yamamoto wrote and directed this purposefully gritty look at life amidst Tokyo's underground music and art scene. Kumi (Kumiko Ota) sings with a new wave band that is struggling to find an audience for their harsh and uncompromising music. Kumi is divorced, and has joint custody of her young son with her former husband. One day, Kumi calls her ex, has him pick up their son, and sets off on a strange and unsettling journey through the city's subterranean culture, encountering drug-addled would-be lovers, armed radicals, deranged public works employees and other fascinating but dangerous characters. Yami No Carnival (aka Carnival In The Night) was Yamamoto's first film to win international acclaim, earning enthusiastic response at the Cannes Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival; fellow independent filmmaker Atsuhiko Suwa served as an assistant during the making of the picture.