16 Feb 2000
Director: Shohei Imamura
Japan
1997
117 min
Shohei Imamura’s first film after a seven year absence. The Eel won the Palm d’Or at Cannes in 1997. It is the story of Tokuro Yamashita who is paroled from prison after serving time for stabbing his unfaithful wife. He attempts to recover his life in a small town populated with an assortment of unusual characters. Yamashita only desires the quiet life with his pet eel. However a caring young woman, her jealous loan shark boyfriend and his maniacal ex-cellmate threaten to draw him back to violence. Filmed with Imamura’s droll sense of humour and compassionate love for off-kilter characters.