Few joys in the world are as pious as experiencing a late-period masterpiece from a beloved master of cinema, and with Perfect Days, Wim Wenders seems to have given us just that. The great German filmmaker is one of the most influential artists of the modern era and has made significant contributions to not just films, but also to photography, literature, and theater, and has shaped countless important narratives over his extensive career as a documentary filmmaker. As a prominent face of New German Cinema and a pioneer of it, Wender's cinema is lively and made with a humanist touch, and he is one of the rare visionaries whose work truly stands out on its own, while his influence on world cinema is certainly undeniable.
Perfect Days marks the return of the master to the world stage, after some middling feature efforts and various admirable experiments in the world of documentary filmmaking for more than a decade. The quiet Japanese drama has been selected as Japan's official entry for this year's Academy Award for Best International Feature, over other heavy-hitters such as Ryusuke Hamaguchi's Evil Does Not Exist and Hirokazu Kore-eda's Monster. The movie competed for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, where it won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Best Actor Award for Kōji Yakusho, who plays the lead in the film. If a masterclass from one of cinema's most iconic figures sounds like your cup of tea, read this guide to find out everything we know about Perfect Days so far.
When Does 'Perfect Days' Come Out?
Perfect Days had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 25, where it competed for the prestigious Palme d'Or. Since then, it has had screenings at several festivals including the Telluride Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival, where it opened to overwhelmingly positive reviews, and is set to screen at the Lincoln Center for the New York Film Festival on October 11 and 12. The film is set for release on December 21 in Germany, and on December 22 in Japan, but there has been no announcement for a wide release date in the United States yet.
Where Can You Watch 'Perfect Days'?
If you are in New York, you can get tickets for the American premiere of Perfect Days at the Lincoln Center on the Film at Lincoln Center website. Tickets go on sale on September 19. Beyond that, the North American distribution rights of the film from The Match Factory were purchased by Neon, who also have Palme d'Or winning Anatomy of a Fall and Michael Mann's Ferrari waiting in the wings this awards season. Neon will release the film theatrically in the United States this year, but a proper release date is yet to be announced. The Match Factory is a subsidiary of MUBI, who handles the distribution of the film in several key markets, and the film is expected to be available to stream on the service down the line, although there has been no word on it yet.
Is There a Trailer for 'Perfect Days'?
The official trailer for Perfect Days was released by The Match Factory on May 20, ahead of its Cannes debut. The trailer is appropriately set to Lou Reed's classic song "Perfect Day", and moves in an idle and charming rhythm, with a hint of melancholy always lying underneath, just like the song. Framed in spare 4:3 compositions with simple but gorgeous imagery, the trailer shows us glimpses from the daily life of toilet cleaner, Hirayama, played by Koji Yakusho, as he leisurely goes about his daily routine and work, while rejoicing in music and books and devoting his free time to his hobbies. Hirayama encounters a young girl played by Arisa Nakano, who asks him if he wants to go see the ocean, and the trailer goes on to showcase their developing bond with moments of joy, and eventual sorrow kicking in, as a splendid portrait of life emerges.
Who's In the Cast of Perfect Days?
Veteran Japanese actor Koji Yakusho, celebrated worldwide for his riveting performances in films such as Cure, Babel, and The Eel, plays the lead in Wim Wenders' Perfect Days. Yakusho garnered universal praise for his committed performance, with many calling it a highlight of the film, and won the Best Actor trophy at the Cannes Film Festival. The film additionally features several small and delightful performances from actors like Aoi Yamada, Min Tanaka, Arisa Nakano, Tokio Emoto, Sayuri Ishikawa, and Yumi Asou.
Who Made 'Perfect Days'?
Perfect Days is the first feature film from German art-house master Wim Wenders since 2017, directed from a script by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki. The auteur, known for classics such as his Road Movie Trilogy, Paris, Texas, and Wings of Desire, likes to explore new places and cultures through his cinema and has even portrayed the Japanese culture once before Perfect Days, in his documentary Tokyo-Ga, trying to capture the Tokyo seen in Yasujiro Ozu's films. Both Wenders and Takasaki are also producers of the film along with Koji Yanai, and Koji Yakusho serves as an executive producer on the film. The film was shot by cinematographer Franz Lustig in Tokyo over the course of 17 days, and has been edited by Wim Wenders' regular collaborator of late, Toni Froschhammer.
What Is 'Perfect Days' About?
Like many of Wim Wenders' films, Perfect Days is a poignant portrait of people and places with a sparse narrative, focusing more on characters and their intimate moments than the plot. The film centers on the life of a Japanese public toilet cleaner, Hirayama, named after the protagonist of Yasujiro Ozu’s last film, An Autumn Afternoon - a tribute to the late master from Wenders, whose humanist and methodically simple style of cinema is largely reminiscent of Wenders' own. The film closely follows the simple and repetitive life of Hirayama, who moves to his own rhythm, spending his time listening to music from the likes of The Rolling Stones and Patti Smith and reading books in his small home filled with plants he takes care of, and has a fondness for trees, who he loves to photograph. The monotonous routine of Hirayama's life is slightly interrupted by the advent of new characters, which gradually peels away the layers of his past. Wenders weaves poetry out of Hirayama's everyday life, and through the roads of cinema reaches new destinations of the heart.