‘The Sweet East’ to Explore America’s Dark Journey, Set for March Release

The film ‘The Sweet East’ will be released in Japan on Friday, March 14.

Selected for the Directors’ Fortnight at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, the film gained attention for its cool visual style and its strange, ironic narrative. The story follows Lillian, a melancholic high school student, as she embarks on an unusual journey through the dark and twisted side of contemporary America, where fear and humor collide. Lillian is portrayed by Talia Ryder, who also starred in ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always.’ Directed by Sean Price Williams, who makes his directorial debut with this film, Williams has worked for over 20 years as a cinematographer, mainly in New York’s independent scene, and has collaborated with Japanese filmmakers, including Soji Fukunaga (‘Ainu Mosir’) and Maiko Endo (TOKYO TELEPATH 2020).

In conjunction with the release, the director has shared a comment:

I believe this film foresees many things we are already witnessing. The script was written during the first Trump administration. However, his name is intentionally never mentioned, as it would quickly become ‘outdated.’ American history moves quickly and violently. Indeed, there are things happening that frustrate me. Still, I believe in the passion of Americans. We remain the least cooperative group of citizens, and I believe that our burning individualism is what makes us a visionary people.

To mark the Japanese release, a poster visual and teaser have also been unveiled. The poster features the tagline, “I’m the kind of person who finds everything fun and scary,” with a striking shot of Lillian’s sharp gaze reflected in a mirror. The teaser begins with a scene of the captivating Lillian winking, followed by her singing the lyrics, “I’m the kind of person who finds everything fun and scary” while looking into a mirror. As the White House appears in the background, the scene is suddenly interrupted by intense gunshots and loud screams, leading to the words, “A strange and sweet wonder-trip through the swirling darkness (reality) of modern America (= Wonderland)” appearing on screen.