Evil Does Not Exist

Evil Does Not Exist

In a secluded, snowy mountain village, widower and single father Takumi (Hitoshi Omika) leads a modest life gathering water, wood, and wild wasabi for a friend’s udon shop. Yet this peaceful existence is threatened when a pair of corporate reps (Ryuji Kosaka and Ayaka Shibutani) arrive to launch a glamping site, sparking resistance from community members who fear the project’s potentially pernicious impact on the environment. When Takumi—a respected local figure—is offered the conciliatory role of site caretaker, it becomes unclear where his loyalties lie.

Evil Does Not Exist, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s much-anticipated follow-up to his Academy Award–winning Drive My Car, is a haunting, suspenseful meditation on humankind’s thorny relationship with nature, consumerism, and itself. Inspired by a collaboration with composer Eiko Ishibashi, the director showcases his masterful command of pacing and atmosphere to uncover the destructive forces lurking beneath the thin veneer of civilization.

Screening With:

Thunderbird and Killer Whale (S-hwuhwa’us & Qul-lhanumutsun)

Student Shorts Showcase

Stz’uminus Master Carver John Marston embarks on a journey to revitalize the traditional art of canoe carving in his community. This film chronicles John’s creative decisions on the “Thunderbird and Killer Whale” canoe and its journey to the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, where it is now on permanent display.

8 Mins 9s
Canada, 2024
Dir. Jason Cheng
Language: English

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