Desert of Namibia

It wasn't that long ago that I watched Yoko Yamanaka's Amiko. It was her first mid-length feature, and it turned quite a few heads on the festival circuit (rightfully so). Young, female Japanese directors are doing quite well nowadays, so I was eager to see how she'd evolved since. Desert of Namibia [Namibia no Sabaku] is her first full-length feature, and it sees her bank on her potential, even though the tone of this one is a lot harsher compared to her earlier work. Fans of Japanese dramas will know what to expect, if they can get their hands on it of course.

In the past decade or so, there has been a steady influx of female directors in Japan. A few of them became staples of the industry, others have remained in the limelight, often producing impressive but less bankable dramas. If you need a good starting point, there's 21st Century Girl, an anthology project that brought many of them together. It's a lovely evolution, and these women have grabbed the opportunity with both hands, filling a gap in an often male-dominated field. As an audience, you can only champion the extra variety they bring to the table.

Desert of Namibia isn't the easiest film. It's one of those dramas that doesn't have any sympathetic leads. All the main characters are inherently flawed, and even though their struggles are real and understandable, these people would be incredibly difficult to deal with in real life. Yamanaka's strength is that she finds compassion for her subjects. She doesn't demonize them, nor does she revert to outright pity. These are just young people trying to get a handle on themselves, while also learning how to live together. It's a raw kind of honesty you don't often come across in movies.

Satsuki is unhappy in her relationship. Hayashi is her boyfriend on the side, so when he asks her to move in with him, she jumps at the opportunity to flee her current relationship and start a new one. Things are going well for the two, but Satsuki has violent mood swings, and Hayashi is unsure how to deal with them. When she discovers that he has some skeletons in his closet, things get out of hand, and Satsuki ends up in the hospital. Satsuki realizes that something needs to change, and she decides to seek professional help, hoping it will help her gain better control over her emotions.

Visually, there are a few scenes that jump out, but they are few and far between. For the larger part, Desert of Namibia looks like most other Japanese dramas out there. Slightly muted and cooler colors, an observing and somewhat static camera, and editing that support the lingering pace. For reasons completely beyond my comprehension, Yamanaka did choose to shoot in 4:3, which once again takes away from any visual appeal. I'm sure she had her reasons, but why can't it ever be "I went for a wider format because I wanted to show the bigger picture"? I know most cinephiles won't be too bothered by it, but I can't stand it.

Now, the score is a different story. It's not a complete 180 compared to similar films, but Yamanaka picks key moments to insert somewhat more experimental ambient music, and it's absolutely lovely. It's a simple stylistic touch, but its impact is substantial. One scene in particular (Satsuki running ecstatically through the streets - reminiscent of Tokyo.sora) immediately turns into a landmark moment. The rest of the score is quite neutral and non-committal, but these few instances truly manage to elevate the rest of the film. I know it's just another pet peeve of mine, but still.

With a film like this, where all the leads are fundamentally flawed and tough to empathize with, you need excellent performances for it to work. The goal of the actors is to keep the audience engaged, even when their characters are letting everyone down. Yumi Kawai and Daichi Kaneko had their work cut out for them, luckily, they both aced their parts. Kawai had the hardest role for sure, but Kaneko does well as the boyfriend who struggles with his girlfriend's ups and downs, while trying to deal with his own problems and insecurities. The secondary cast is solid, but primarily in a supportive role.

The first third of the film is spent on introducing the characters and their flaws through a series of illustrative events. The film is more show than tell, so it's key to focus and keep track of what's going on. And that goes for the entire film, this isn't one of those dramas where you can doze off for twenty minutes and jump back in once you've stopped your daydreaming. It's not that the plot is necessarily complex or difficult to follow, but not everything is spelled out, and almost every scene is relevant to the characters and their shifting relationships.

Getting that second feature made is often challenging, even for directors whose first one got international accolades and positive press, so I'm happy to see Yamanaka get that hurdle out of the way. Desert of Namibia is a confident step forward, a film with subtle aesthetic touches that help to set it apart, but never gets in the way of a challenging but ultimately endearing drama. I think there's still enough potential for Yamanaka to refine her signature style, but if she continues like this, I'm sure she's well on her way to pursue an impressive career.