Exit 8

What began as a small indie video game by a young developer from Kyoto quickly became a viral sensation with millions of downloads. Director Genki Kawamura taps into the eerie pull of the Backrooms phenomenon and brings the oppressive scenario to the big screen. The setting is a sterile, endlessly looping subway tunnel in Tokyo from which there seems to be no escape. The sole—and relentless—rule is this: Anyone who notices a change—a so-called "anomaly"—must turn back immediately; anyone who overlooks it will inevitably be thrown back to the beginning of the labyrinth.

Behind this simple premise lies a deeper layer inspired by classics such as Stanley Kubrick's *The Shining* and the optical illusions of M. C. Escher. Kawamura uses the endless, white corridor as a metaphor for the mundane daily grind of human life. The subtle, at times unsettling anomalies symbolize the hidden sins and feelings of guilt of the protagonist or of society as a whole. The director even compares this nightmarish place to the Purgatory from Dante's "Divine Comedy," which is intended to force viewers to look more closely and recognize the signs of a world in which something is clearly amiss.

Since the main character—the nameless "lost man"—must get by with almost no dialogue, a strong screen presence was essential. This role is played by Kazunari Ninomiya, who was once discovered by Clint Eastwood for the Hollywood epic "Letters from Iwo Jima." His enigmatic counterpart, the "striding man," is portrayed by the experienced stage actor Yamato Kôchi. His precise, emotionless movements are heavily influenced by classical Japanese Nō dance theater and lend the character an almost programmed, artificial aura. Rounding out the cast is Nana Komatsu, who—following her Hollywood debut under Martin Scorsese in "Silence"—appears here as a pregnant girlfriend.