A

Sep 9 1998 N/A 2h 16m
Documentary

Roughly chronological, from 3/96 to 11/96, with a coda in spring of 1997: inside compounds of Aum Shinrikyo, a Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara. (Members confessed to a murderous sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995.) We see what they eat, where they sleep, and how they respond to media scrutiny, on-going trials, the shrinking of their fortunes, and the criticism of society. Central focus is placed on Hiroshi Araki, a young man who finds himself elevated to chief spokesman for Aum after its leaders are arrested. Araki faces extreme hostility from the Japanese public, who find it hard to believe that most followers of the cult had no idea of the attacks and even harder to understand why these followers remain devoted to the religion, if not the violence.

Plot

Roughly chronological, from 3/96 to 11/96, with a coda in spring of 1997: inside compounds of Aum Shinrikyo, a new religious movement led by Shoko Asahara. (Members confessed to a murderous sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995.) We see what they eat, where they sleep, and how they respond to media scrutiny, on-going trials, the shrinking of their fortunes, and the criticism of society. Central focus is on Hiroshi Araki, deputy spokesperson, 28, slight, mild, diffident. He and others speak of erasing desire - for food, for love, for sex, for family. The filmmaker becomes a participant when police harass and arrest a sect member. What is it to be different in a conformist society?

Written by

N/A

Directed by

Tatsuya Mori

Cast

Hiroshi Araki

Crew

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Production Countries

Japan

Production Companies

'A' Production Committee

Languages

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
326
Average Rating
6.9 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA