“I Will Never Forgive” is a harrowing film about rape, sex work, and abusive relationships. Based on the book which tells the true story of Yoko Yukimura, director Hideki Wada takes us completely inside her world, literally letting us see things through her eyes. This gives the film a raw power and induces a physical response in the audience ranging from anger to hate and disgust.
I Will Never Forgive is screening at the 19th Japan Film Fest Hamburg
On a day of heavy snow a young girl, Yoko (played by Kanako Nishikawa) sits at a train station waiting for her mother to pick her up. Before her mother arrives, a van-load of young men arrive and snatch the girl, punching her in the face to silence her protests. They then take her back to an apartment where they spend several hours raping and beating her. The following morning, the girl dresses herself and stumbles out into the world. It is now a world that has changed forever for her after the trauma of the previous night. Yoko begins to see the world, as she puts it, as an outsider looking in. We even see a second version of her who dogs her steps and often comments on what she should do. She finally returns home to a family that is openly hostile to her, berating her and beating her for not coming home and not being there when her mother finally arrived to pick her up.
We then follow Yoko into adulthood (now played by Hiratsuka Chieko) and see her life takes several dark turns as she seems unable to escape her past trauma. It would be a shame to give away more of the plot, suffice to say that things do not necessarily improve for her as the film progresses. Various men in her life treat her with apparent kindness but are usually revealed to be selfish or have some deep character flaw that Yoko, with her damaged psyche, is unable to see or escape from.
The film is based on a novel by Yoko Yukimura, with a screenplay by director Hideki Wada. It is an utterly heartbreaking story that would be unbelievable if it were a fiction, as it seems that Yoko is constantly victimised by men and moves from one tragedy to another. Even supposed friends and family turn on her and are unhelpful if not outright hostile to her situation. It is a dark, lonely world that the film manages to portray exceptionally well. Without being needlessly grotesque it is uncomfortable and often nauseating viewing.
Director Hideki Wada utilises first-person perspective throughout, which is a novel approach to this type of story. It means that the audiences is put through the same experiences as Yoko. It focuses on terrifying or disgusting moments, such as the rape, vomiting, or abuse, and does not give you the choice to look away as they are shot in close-up first-person perspective. This, along with the shaky camera as Yoko moves around, creates a sort of sickness in the viewer that is in keeping with the character's own state, at times. However, none of this feels gratuitous. Everything that is shown is necessary to make the audience understand what she is going through. As a true story, there are few moments of catharsis or redemption. This makes the drama even more upsetting and genuinely disturbing as it confronts the viewer with the harsh reality of this crime.
Both Kanako Nishikawa and Hiratsuka Chieko do a great job of bringing Yoko's story to the screen. The original five men are shown for what they are, monsters, and given little development. After all, this is Yoko's story and therefore the focus is rightly on her. The other two major men in her life, played by Takashi Kousuke and Sano Shiro are portrayed with serious flaws, but also with subtlety. Rather than being driven by malice, they are shown to be a product of their own psychological issues, rather than two-dimensional villain stereotypes. The supporting cast, who include members of Yoko's family, friends and colleagues, all put in great performances that help build the sense of realism.
“I Will Never Forgive” is a very difficult watch. Rape is often something used in film as a danger or plot motivation, but here it is shown to be the horrible traumatising experience it is. As we are allowed inside Yoko's head that gives the film a palpable sense of fear as we are trapped and forced to witness what she suffered. We likewise are unable to forget what happened and it colours everything that follows, from her interactions with others to her desire to be safe and protected, that only leads to further problems. A powerful exploration of rape and abuse and an honest telling of this woman's story.
