怪物 (aka Monster) (2023)

A single mother (Sakura Ando) raising a son (Soya Kurokawa) is alarmed by her son's disturbing behavior and suspects he is being abused by a teacher (Eita Nagayama) and she goes to the school to confront him but is unsatisfied with the school's response. Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda (SHOPLIFTERS), the film won the best screenplay at the Cannes film festival. The film is a complex puzzle told from three different views and it takes awhile to get used to the fragmented narrative but slowly it emerges into a shattering but empathetic rumination on understanding and accepting who you are. Other themes show themselves: homophobia, bullying, parental abuse, guilt but they are secondary to the film's emotional core. The two central child performers (Hinata Hiiragi is the other boy) are amazing. Not an easy viewing but be patient, the reward is great. With Yuko Tanaka and Mitsuki Takahata.