Eiko Ishibashi x Ryūsuke Hamaguchi present GIFT

If we understand awards as symbolic of success in cinema, then 2021 was a great year for Ryūsuke Hamaguchi: his “Drive My Car” brought a golden statue back from Hollywood and three other prizes from Cannes. And if the adapted screenplay and direction were especially graced, its soundtrack, written by Eiko Ishibashi, was universally cherished. But out of all the compliments we can give her music, it wasHamaguchi’s opinion which counted the most and brought us to “Gift”, a cinematic project made from the subject of his new film “Evil Does Not Exist” — distinguished with the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice film festival this year. The Japanese director confessed once that music was never an important part of his work, but everything changed when he met Eiko Ishibashi. “Gift” is also for that reason, a unique occasion for his resumé, as it’s a live presentation, with film and music, on a small tour that greatly honours the Semibreve festival.