![]() There is no place for them - or her - in a society that prioritizes economy and productivity. Seemingly everywhere around her, Plan 75 is constantly advertised by luring infomercials and she sees long lines of old and poor people queuing for a free bowl of hot soup. Soon she will have no place to live, no income, no security, and no future. She has lost her job as a cleaner at a hotel and her apartment building is about to be demolished. Michi (Chieko Baisho) is a 78-year-old lady, still in good health but with a precarious financial situation. ![]() Her clean direction, gentle storytelling, and rigorous visual style never stray from reality, striking a perfect balance between lyricism and gritty social commentary. Imagining a dystopic, yet seemingly very real, near future, where senior citizens pose a tangible threat to the country’s economy, and elaborating on social values and a spirit of self-sacrifice, Chie Hayakawa spins a quietly subversive tale of lives caught in the cobweb of Plan 75, a government program that encourages euthanasia for people over 75 years of age. ![]() A low fertility rate combined with a high life expectancy, healthy lifestyles, and excellent medical care - not to mention the insularity of the nation and a strict immigration policy - have conjured the perfect storm and won Japan the menacing record of being the oldest country in the world. Koureikashakai (“super-aged society”) is a new term to define Japan’s population. Chie Hayakawa’s quietly subversive debut feature unveils the beauty and dignity of human life, as found behind the benevolent facade of a dystopian Japanese program that gives people aged 75+ the ability to end their lives voluntarily.
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