A co-production between Japan, Malaysia and Philippines, Janus Victoria‘s “Diamonds in Sand” seems to take inspiration from “Perfect Days” to a point at least, this time putting a lonely Japanese man within both a Japanese and a Filipino setting, perhaps in an effort to show the cultural differences of the two. Let us take things from the beginning though.
Diamonds in Sand is sceening at Berlin International Film Festival
Divorced salaryman Yoji is experiencing a kind of depression that has led him into solitude, feeling disconnected from everyone and everything around him, as the few interactions with colleagues in the beginning of the film highlight. However, one day he discovers the decomposing body of his equally lonely neighbor, an old man whose name he does not know, whose death is ruled a kodokushi, or the lonely death. This prompts him to start visiting his ailing mother in the care home she resides, in an effort to reconnect with her. When she also dies after a while though, Yoji, in an unlikely whim for him, decides to follow a caretaker he met in the home, Minerva, to Manila.
While there, he meets her daughter, 21-year-old Japino Angel, who was rejected by her Japanese father and now finds herself at a crossroads post-graduation. Angel has also just witnessed death, although under a whole other prism than Yoji. At the same time, he also meets her uncle, Toto, a family man everyone seems to like, who also has a gambling issue.
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Janus Victoria directs a film that, perhaps instigated by or instigating its international production, deals with a number of issues Japanese and Filipino people face, while trying to provide a solution for both through their common interaction (just what a co-production aims at). In that fashion, the loneliness that derives from lack of communication in the Japanese megalopolis is highlighted quite eloquently through Yoji, with the concept of kodokushi looming intensely over his arc. At the same time, that Japanese culture is not one that pushes people to ask or give help, essentially demanding from all individuals to be self-sufficient (at least in the majority of people of the previous generations) is also highlighted here, in an element that actually carries to the Filipino setting.
The financial issues the Philippines face and the subsequent forced migration to other countries, usually as domestic helpers or caretakers of various kinds, is another aspect presented here. The overall poorness is actually a main theme overall, with the way people get addicted to gambling, as in the case of Toto, in an illusion of finally making some money to escape their situation, and the subsequent presence of organized crime, adding another level to the concept. At the same time, though, it is this lack of self-sufficiency that forces Filipinos into collectively helping each other, with the way Minerva’s family and neighborhood are quite close together highlighting the fact quite eloquently as much as that the result is that these people seem happier, at least when ‘bad luck” does not knock the door. Lastly, a jab at Duterte’s War on Drugs is also presented here, cementing the rich context.
Expectedly and inevitably, it is this difference in mentality (Japanese self-sufficiency and individuality contrasted with Filipino collectiveness) that finds a clash within Yoji, who essentially has to choose one or the other. This conflict is quite intriguing to watch, while the relationships he forms with Angel and Minerva complicate things even more, adding intrigue to an already quite compelling concept.
In the middle of it all is Lily Franky as Yoji, who plays his role in a way similar to Koji Yakusho in “Perfect Days”, with him essentially anchoring the movie from beginning to end. His subtle portrayal of a lonely man in need, who opens up but still is not able to move beyond the aforementioned “standards” is excellent, in another great performance by the veteran. Charlie Dizon as Angel is also quite good within her issues, with the difference in the way she perceives and deals with them in comparison with Yoji creating one of the most appealing antitheses of the movie. Maria Isabel Lopez as Minerva is convincing most of the time, although her dramatic moments could have been handled a bit better. Kazuko Yoshiyuki as Yoji’s mother plays the declining woman who loses her grip on reality with gusto.
The cinematography follows realistic paths, without any particular exaltations, with the difference in the presentation of Japan (darker) and the Philippines (brighter) being palpable. The coloring seemed to aim to avoid the usual, frequently desaturated approach of Japanese films. Some flair however does exist, particularly in the repeating image of the tunnel. The editing results in a relatively slow tempo while at 102 minutes, the movie does not overextend its welcome.
An overall lack of tension and the fact that “Diamonds in Sand” is a level below “Perfect Days” bring the movie somewhat down. However, the acting, the story and the comments deriving from it definitely elevate it beyond its shortcomings, resulting in a title that definitely deserves a watch.
