Happyend directed by Neo Sora will open the CinemAsia Film Festival which will take place from March 6 – 11, 2025 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Happyend by Neo Sora – Japan | 2024 – 113 minutes | Dutch Premiere

In near-future Tokyo, where the looming threat of a catastrophic earthquake shapes daily life, high school best friends Kou and Yuta face an unexpected turning point. A prank on their principal triggers the installation of a school-wide surveillance system. Trapped between oppressive security measures and a worsening national political climate, their divergent responses force them to confront their growing differences as they graduate into an uncertain future.

With a mesmerising soundtrack and bold visuals, Happyend is a poignant ode to Japanese youth, capturing rebellious adolescents on the cusp of a political awakening. Neo SORA’s debut fiction feature rebels against an increasingly oppressive system in a strikingly contemporary setting. Set in a near-future dystopia, the film serves as a reflection of Japan’s current socio-political climate and a vivid exploration of youth, identity, and the search for meaning in a time when happy endings are far from guaranteed. (CinemAsia 2025)

Screening Dates:
March 6, 2025 | Thursday | Eye Filmmuseum | 7:30 pm + Q&A
March 9, 2025 | Sunday | Studio/K | 6:30 pm + Q&A
March 10, 2025 | Monday | Rialto VU | 9:30 pm

Trailer:

About the Director:
Neo SORA is a New York- and Tokyo-based filmmaker, artist, and translator. He directed his first feature film Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2023), which premiered in the Venice International Film Festival. His short films include The Chicken (2020) and Sugar Glass Bottle (2022).

For more information, please visit: https://cinemasia.nl/en/