Cannes 2023: “Perfect Days”, the poet of toilets by Wim Wenders

Official selection – competition

A long history spanning almost fifty years connects Wim Wenders with the Cannes Film Festival. In 1976, the German filmmaker born on the Croisette in 1945 won the International Critics’ Prize for his road movie. With time – which follows the fortunes of two estranged men, one of whom travels the country in a movie car. A golden palm branch follows Paris, Texas (1984), Best Director Award wings of desire (1987) etc. Meanwhile, the director and photographer won the Golden Lion in Venice condition (1982), The Silver Bear in Berlin A million dollar hotel (2000), and several of his documentaries, e.g Buena Vista Social Club (1999) or Pina (2011), was nominated for an Oscar. Depending on the year, some pearls and other more consensual works.

perfect days Wenders’ new cinematic trip to Japan, next Tokyo Ga (1985), Following in the footsteps of director Yasujiro Ozu, a mention of Zen is part of this beautiful collection. Wenders there It follows the daily life of Hirayama (Koji Yakusho), a modest man in his fifties who is employed to clean public toilets in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. The character performs his thankless task to perfection, as if the survival of the human species is at stake, thereby regaining some dignity.

The routine of this clean toilet poet, attentive to the slightest sign, curious about everything – a shot of grass… – is transformed into unhappy moments. But, so to speak, the feeling of déjà vu overtakes us. Both the subject and the setting remind us of luxury Patterson (2016), Jim Jarmusch with Adam Driver as a bus driver, a haiku writer in his spare time. In competition at Cannes, the film was ignored by the jury, which was then chaired by George Miller.

A hint of drama

Wenders does not leave Hirayama from sunrise to sunset, does not document his rituals, whether he wears his uniform or gets up at night. Montage takes into account rehearsals, modulation of rhythm and frame length (a feast for the eyes), a touch of dramaturgy.

Starting from almost nothing, knowing that the tiny, here, is erected into an event, the director weaves an elaborate story, at the end of which his hero slowly joins the world. With concentric circles, first the professional environment, then the family, and the scenario in drawing a romantic path. A few characters light up the route, such as young actress Aoi Yamada, the Japanese reincarnation of Uma Thurman Pulp Fiction (1994).