Still Life of Memories (2018) - full transcript

Oh...

Are you pleased with it?

What kind of person is the
photographer Haruma Suzuki?

He's one of the most popular
photographers in our gallery.

I'm sure he'll be here soon.

He's here every day
during the exhibition.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Yes, this is Gallery Sandor.

So you came to see my exhibition?

Thank you.

I'm Suzuki.



Shall I change the camera?

Just a little more left... Yeah.

Up here.

Okay, this way.

Nice...

- That's splendid.
- Splendid.

I've got an interview request from
"Fine Art of Photography" (magazine),

what do we do?

That's great.

I'm not good at interviews.

Excuse me.

He's so stubborn.

"Fine Art of Photography"

asked him for an interview
but he's not going to do it.



Are you going to continue this series?

Yes...

Your picture touches my heart.

Heartbreak?

It's more like a scar.

It's like a lost memory
of pain, if you will.

Yes, this is Gallery Sandor.

This is Suzuki.

So what kind of pictures am I taking?

Next Monday, 1:00 pm. Okay.

A job offer?

Kind of.

A photo shoot for a fashion magazine?

No, black and white film.

She wants me to take some
pictures of her, like a solo show.

That's great, Haruma.

She must have seen the photos from
your exhibition, and she liked them.

It's nice to know that more people
understand Haruma's photography...

What?

I'm feeling lonely.

Natsuki...

The other day, someone was looking
at Haruma's picture intently.

A beautiful woman.

I was so happy I called out to her.

And then that person stood
in front of Haruma's picture.

I kept my eyes closed.

Are you the person
who asked me to shoot?

Where are you going?

Why use black-and-white film?

The smell of paint
brings back memories.

Reminds me of
my high school art class.

Is this a studio?

You're not answering
any of my questions.

Promise me two things...

Promise?

No questions, please.

I'll take the film.

Please keep those two things in mind.

What do you mean?

So what should I shoot?

Take the pictures here, please.

You just asked me to
take a picture of you.

I don't know how to shoot.

I was attracted by your photo.

I wanted you to take my photo.

What attracted you to my photos?

Huh. Another question.

I felt like I was running out of time.

Time is running out?

Give me the film.

Can you develop the film yourself?

I'm not supposed to ask questions.

We met at the gallery before, right?

You're that woman I passed
on the stairs, right?

I just need you to tell me one thing.

I mean what you said about
running out of time to take pictures.

When I look at your photos...
time disappears...

I heard a faint sound in the silence.

What kind of sound?

What's going on?

Excuse me...
there's a bus stop up ahead.

From there, you can take
the bus to the station.

Are you sure you're okay?

Leave me alone.

There's something nice about
people waiting for the bus.

Buses don't come on time.

But they know it will come.

It wasn't like they waited for a bus.

I felt like they were waiting to die.

I'm home!

Welcome back.

Look what I got for you.

- Let's drink.
- Oh.

Okay...

Haruma, how was work today?

Work?

Yeah, I just made product shots.

You said it was similar
to your other work.

What did you shoot?

Hey, Natsuki.

Hmm... What?

It's nothing.

Come on, say what you want to say.

Natsuki, do you hear any
sounds from my photos?

Hmm...

I can hear this sound.

Turn off the lights.

Mmm... no.

Haruma, that's weird...

Huh?

Haruma!

I've been crying a lot lately...

When I look at the sky,
when the wind blows.

I cry easily.

Is that so?

Maybe it's because
we're having a baby.

What?

I'm pregnant.

Yes.

Wait!

Let me shoot my way this time.

Sit here.

Let's open it up a little more.

Let's move the chair.

There. Sit down.

You're free to go.

You can touch it with your
fingers, even from the inside...

Your own vulva.

I'll open it from here.

Raise your hips a little more.

Yeah, okay.

Move freely.

Huh...

Uh... next Monday, 3:00 p.m., please.

Why are we shooting at dusk?

The light is changing.

Every moment we get closer and closer to the
darkness, until finally we melt into it...

You said you liked my photos.

Yes, I like them.

However, taking a picture
is just the beginning.

Anyone can push
the shutter-release button.

Would you mind if I printed out
all I've got from you so far?

I want to see what I've taken.

Are you angry?

I like your finger.

My finger?

Your finger pressing
the shutter button...

And I like the sound of the shutter.

The sound of my life ticking away.

Time passes quietly
before you know it.

The sound of your shutter is
a sign of my time ticking away.

Ouch!

Ouch...

Ouch...

What?

You're not your usual self.

Excuse me.

This was my mother's studio.

Was your mother a painter?

That half-painted picture
is the last one she drew.

Did she pass away?

She's in the hospital.

That's why I want to keep it that way.

That should do it.

Thank you.

Why would a painter
paint a self-portrait...

Who is the photographer?

I need to see the pictures.

I want to complete it
as a work of art.

That's it for today.

I shouldn't be paid for
not taking any pictures.

What's wrong, Natsuki?

What's wrong?

Where have you been?

At the product shooting.

Haruma, you stink...

What?

What's going on?

What?

Haruma, I can smell blood.

What about you?

Do you remember the first time
you saw a woman's vulva?

The last thing I want to see in
my life is a woman's vulva.

Have you ever wondered
who it belongs to?

From cave paintings to Picasso.

The representation of
female genitalia goes back

to the root of the
prehistoric painting.

Sigmund Freud,
the great psychoanalyst,

stated that's where
all humans come from.

He explained that the female genitalia
represent the body of the mother.

Originally nostalgic because
it is from my hometown...

Psychology reversed the idea that
had it turned into something terrible.

If philosophy is the
search for truth...

I've always explained that it
is similar to a woman's body.

Men seek the truth, but women
feel the truth inside themselves.

What are you doing?

Now I understand what
Mondays are all about.

I feel like I haven't
seen you since...

I'll call you.

I had a feeling you
wouldn't call me back.

I don't want your money.
I just want to keep shooting you.

I really want to finish it for myself.

You know what I'm talking about.
It's the picture!

Henri Maccheroni.

It was definitely his photo
album that started it all.

He met a woman one day
at a gallery in Nice.

They were looking at
the same picture...

And the next thing you know,
they're in Maccheroni's room.

He photographed her vulva.

You're late.

You're awake.

Haruma hasn't looked
at me at all lately.

We're together and you're
not even looking at me.

That's not true.

It is true.

I feel like I'm empty.

Are you sure you're
taking the right pictures?

Natsuki, I found a new theme.

I found a picture I wanted to take.

What?

What is this?

Whose?

She came to my exhibition
and gave me a job.

So this is what you meant
by "just product shots"?

Don't get me wrong, there's
nothing going on with her.

How can you film something like this
when there's nothing going on?

It's even more unacceptable.

At first, I took pictures
at her request...

Now I think I want to
make it for my own sake.

Your work?

I finally found her. She's my muse.

I don't know. It's too difficult.

To be honest, I don't know either.

But I can feel something.

I see...

Let's take our shoes off.

A little more. This way.

I'm going for a walk.

Come back a little bit.

OK.

I feel different.

I think what's important is time.

I'd like to keep shooting in
the time we spend together.

You're early.

We didn't shoot today.

Is it my fault?

That's not it.

Haruma said he won't
be back for a while.

What sounds do you hear?

What?

What kind of sounds can you
hear from Haruma's pictures?

I don't know what it is, but
I just want to listen to it.

It's like the sound of shutters.

Can you hear it?

Hey, Haruma.

What?

Move your finger.

Do you want to photograph my vulva?

Why don't you just use mine?

Why don't you
use mine instead of hers?

Haruma.

Don't stop.

Haruma...

I love you.

Huh...

Why did you become a photographer?

A long time ago, I saw
a picture and thought

I really want to get inside of it.

I wanted to live inside the picture.

Okay, touch it with your finger.

Open more.

More.

Take your hand off.

All right.

The pictures are gradually changing.

In what way?

The picture has moved away
from the female genitalia.

- You mean it doesn't look like genitalia?
- Hmm...

We may not know for sure right away.

What does it look like to you?

When I close my eyes, it's
like you can see inside me.

Why do people move away from
what they are attracted to?

I'm looking at the people
who come to the museum.

It's like the moment when
someone looks at one picture

and moves on to the next one.

It occurred to me that maybe I'm more
interested in the moments of detachment

than the moments when I'm
attracted to something.

You mean our last cut?

The sound of the shutter at the end...

You can do it!

Yeah, yeah. Keep going, keep going!

One more time?

That's right. Good, good...

She'll be born soon. Soon, very soon.

Soon, soon, yes, yes...

She'll be born soon. Soon. Soon.

She's born. Yes, yes... she's born.

Congratulations!

It's a girl.

Girls are lively too.

She's doing well.

The placenta will be removed now.

Yes, congratulations.

Here's your baby.

Cute.

Let me have one.

Miki, are you enjoying the drive?

We're going home.

Okay...

What's wrong? What's wrong? Come here.

What's wrong, huh?

Hey, what's up?

Isn't that pee?

- You think so?
- Yeah.

Yes, Miki.

Oh, sorry, sorry... just a second.

Miki.

She didn't pee.