The Scythian Lamb

(Hitsuji no ki, 羊の木)

UK Premiere

A dwindling port town in northern Japan decides to welcome six strangers into the community in an effort to mitigate its population decline. Unassuming city official Hajime Tsukisue (Ryo Nishikido) is put in charge of the welcoming committee, making sure that the outsiders settle in well. Before long, his initially friendly attitude begins to wane as he discovers that the motley crew of newcomers have a chequered past and uneasiness begins to creep over the town’s residents. As the strangers begin to infiltrate the town, establishing relationships with the locals, inexplicable things being to occur..

Blending dark humour and taut suspense, director Yoshida Daihachi studies the human condition in his adaptation of a thriller manga by the maestro team of Yamagami Tatsuhiko and Igarashi Mikio.

過疎化の進む小さな港町に、6人の男女が住み始めた。住民たちは歓迎するが、実は6人は全員仮釈放中の元殺人犯で、移住は政府による刑務所のコスト削減対策の一環だった。山上たつひこ原作、いがらしみきお作画の漫画作品を「桐島、部活やめるってよ」の吉田大八が映画化。(Japanese synopsis by Eikoku News Digest)

2018/126 min/English Subtitles