Abraxas 

Sunday october 2nd 2011 | 21.00 
De Balie | Grote zaal
English subtitles
+ Q&A  

Japan - 113 min - 2010

How do you deal with an intense spiritual struggle? In Abraxas you follow the subtle exploration of the journey of a man who’s trying to unite his spiritual and worldly life. It is a film where inner peace and happiness come to life.



In his youth Jonen is a punk rocker, but later he transforms into a Buddhist monk. His life is peaceful, until he has a breakdown that leads to a depression. Jonen realizes the importance of music to his life. But can he unite music with his Buddhist way of life?



The film gives a clear message about the beauty of sound, without the serene sounds you might expect. The electric guitar of Jonen lets you get carried away with his feelings. This is perhaps partly thanks to the fact that Jonen is played by Japanese pop star Suneohair. Suneohair gave a great performance with this film of a man looking for meaning in his life.


Director: Naoki Katô
Script: Dai Sakô, Naoki Katô
With: Suneohair, Rie Tomosaka, Manami Honjo, Kaoru Kobayashi, Ryota Murai
Music: Yoshihide Otomo, Yasumasa Terui
Editor: Hitomi Kato
Producer: Hiroko Matsuda, Kosuke