In many ways a companion piece to “Inhalation”, which was also released in 2010, Edmund Yeo's “Exhalation” tackles a more philosophical topic through another theme, in this case the dramatic shift in terms of lifestyles in rural and urban areas of a country. Co-produced in Japan, where the story of the movie takes place, “Exhalation” was screened at the 40th edition of the Rotterdam International Film Festival along with Dubai International Film Festival. At its core, it is a story, as its title already suggests, about grief and various forms of dealing with the loss of a person, while also dealing with two former classmates re-uniting after many years apart for the funeral of a former student they both seem to barely remember.
“Exhalation” is streaming on MUBI
After graduation, best friends Sayuri (Tomoe Shinohara) and Naoko (Kiki Sugino) wen separate ways in life with the former staying in their hometown and her friend pursuing a career in Tokyo, Japan. However, the news of the death and funeral of one of their former classmates brings them together again, even though both have only some vague memories of Yosuke and did not know him too well. While reminiscing about their days at school they visit the site of the crash, which cost Yosuke his life, and re-visit the places the used to hang out when they were younger.
However, Naoko's thoughts about the deceased change upon hearing he had a crush on her when they were still in school. Although she tries to not let her friend see how she truly feels, the news takes her by surprise, so she decides not to attend the funeral, resulting in an argument with Sayuri, who has been quite shaken by Yoksuke's death.
Even though it may be considered a companion piece to “Inhalation”, upon closely comparing the two feature, “Exhalation” is at least aesthetically a much better movie. Especially the use of black-and-white footage and color results in a strong contrast visually, but also highlights the different layers of the story, its distinction between reality, memory and dream as well as the shift of life and death. Similar to the two main characters in “Inhalation”, the time which has passed and the experiences they have made, has resulted in an emotional distance, something unspoken between the two friends. Again, the framing of each shot seems to suggest the former unity of the friends having shifted into something else, which becomes even more relevant when dealing with the loss of Yosuke.
As with many of his other works, Edmund Yeo relies on his actors and his images to tell the story, while leaving enough room for interpretation. While their relationship, to each other as well as to the deceased, may be clear on the surface, it becomes quite obvious things are not what they seem, and the bond each woman had with the deceased may have been more intimate. Each character finds her way of dealing with the immediacy of the loss, which hits Naoko differently than Sayuri, further emphasizing the change which has taken place in their friendship.
In conclusion, “Exhalation” is a short feature exploring themes such as grief and friendship. Edmund Yeo manages to tell the story of two former classmates and the change which has taken place between them, driving them further apart by using visual contrast, which is quite fitting and very well-executed.