All About Lily Chou-Chou
For kids around the world, music is often the only salvation when the pain and anxiety of teenage life becomes too much to bear. Yuichi (Hayato Ichihara) is in the 8th grade and he worships Lily Chou-Chou, a Bjork-like chanteuse whose epic music is lush and transcendent. Yuichi only lives for Lily Chou-Chou's big Tokyo concert, where the lies and violence can be washed away by the presence of his goddess and her powerful music. But fate has yet another obstacle in store for Lily's devoted fan.
Director & Cast
- Director: Shunji Iwai
- Starring: Hayato Ichihara
- Starring: Shûgo Oshinari
- Starring: Ayumi Ito
- Starring: Takao Ohsawa
- Starring: Miwako Ichikawa
- Starring: Izumi Inamori
- Starring: Yû Aoii
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About Virtual Cinema
Virtual cinema is video-on-demand streaming brought to you by Film Movement in partnership with local independent movie theaters, which allows you to stream first-run movies and revivals of classic films at home on your TV or on your mobile device prior to their availability on any other digital platform. The proceeds from your streaming rental is shared between Film Movement and the presenting art house movie theater of your choice, so all ticket purchases help support independent cinema.
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Reviews
- "Much of All About Lily Chou-Chou is mesmerizing: some of its plaintiveness could make you weep."
- "One of the most haunting, viciously honest coming-of-age films in recent memory."
- "Iwai creates Yuichi's world as much through disembodied moments of sight and sound as through action, building to a surprising stab of melancholy. Rating: A-"
- "Shunji Iwai’s cruel and heartbreaking tale is a harder watch than most coming-of-age films, and I don’t see myself enduring it a second time, but there’s an undeniable power to its drama. The focus is on two boys who become friends before bullying, school gangs, and brutality have their way with them, and the constant throughout is Lily’s music. It’s a rough watch for the content, but Iwai’s camerawork and style choices also make for an aggressive experience. Fans, though, should rush to pick up this new Blu-ray from Film Movement."
- "It’s an interesting tale of teenager coming of age with some serious diversity, and director Shunji Iwai has made a film that people can relate to."
- "Poetic and subtly queer"
- " it’s well made, well shot with some great camera movement and use of music "
CICAE Panorama Prize
Berlin Int'l. Film Festival
Special Jury Award
Shanghai Int'l. Film Festival
Golden Goblet, Best Music
Shanghai Int'l. Film Festival
Best New Talent Prize
Yokohama Film Festival
Toronto Int'l. Film Festival
New York Film Festival
Seattle Int'l. FIlm Festival
Karlovy Vary Int'l. Film Festival
Chicago Int'l. Film Festival