Week 5: Perfect Blue (DCP)

Dir.Satoshi Kon(1997); Japan, 81m

Starring: Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto, Shinpachi Tsuji

Programmed by: Nayeli

Friday, October 29th at 7:00PM & 9:30PM
Saturday, October 30th at 7:00PM & 9:30PM
Sunday, October 31st at 3:00PM

“Who are you?”

In an age when fame is attainable to anyone, Satoshi Kon’s 1999 film Perfect Blue captures the initial discourse around being in the public eye and the horrors that come with it. Throughout the film, we follow Mima, a now ex-pop idol navigating the transition into acting, a move that was pushed by her agency. We see her crumble as the industry and the public toy with her image, leading her to lose a sense of her true self. The use of animation works perfectly to tell this dream-like thriller without the constraints of reality. While there may be some outdated portrayals of mental health and stereotypes, Perfect Blue is a great look into the complicated nature of celebrity.

*CW: sexual assault*