Ryu san (OmeU)

Professional hitman Long takes on an assignment in Japan. When things go awry, he has to flee. Badly injured, he takes refuge in a deserted part of a small town. A young boy brings him water and clothing. Long installs himself in one of the dilapidated houses where he prepares simple meals for the eight-year-old Jun. Soon, people are queuing up for Long’s noodle soup. Lily, Jun’s mother who is a drug addict, manages to kick her habit with Long’s help.

The search for a way out of a spiral of violence, for a quiet life and emotional security are topics that pervade director Sabu’s oeuvre. Seamlessly stringing together the rugged vernacular of gangster films with the tender moments of a burgeoning love story, his new work combines perfectly choreographed outbreaks of violence with contemplative cooking scenes and surprising moments of slapstick comedy. (Berlinale)