Sidonie in Japan


Sidonie in Japan is a 2023 romantic drama film co-written and directed by Élise Girard, starring Isabelle Huppert, Tsuyoshi Ihara and August Diehl. It follows a middle aged French widow and writer traveling to Japan.
The film had its world premiere in the Giornate degli Autori section of the 80th Venice International Film Festival on 1 September 2023. It was theatrically released in France on 3 April 2024 by Art House Films.

Premise

Established French writer Sidonie Perceval mourns her late husband, Antoine, while traveling to Japan for a reedition of her first book. While there, she begins an affair with her mysterious Japanese publisher, Kenzo, while the ghost of her husband begins appearing.

Cast

Production

Girard drew inspiration for the film from her first trip to Japan that she made to promote her 2011 film Belleville-Tokyo. The film is a co-production of France, Germany, Switzerland and Japan. It is one of the last works of co-writer Sophie Fillières, who died two months before its premiere.

Release

Sidonie in Japan had its world premiere in the Giornate degli Autori section of the 80th Venice International Film Festival on 1 September 2023. The film was released theatrically in France on 3 April 2024 by Art House Films and in Germany on 11 July 2024 by Majestic Filmverleih.