Izumi, a frustrated housewife, escapes the doldrums of her domestic life by entering the world of daytime prostitution. The final installment of Japanese auteur Sion Sono’s trilogy of “Hate” films (the first two, Love Exposure and Cold Fish, screened as part of the New York Asian Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, respectively), Guilty of Romance is part twisted take on Belle de Jour, part lurid crime drama. 

A steady presence on the international festival circuit for over a decade, Sono’s unique films have been sadly underseen in the United States. For one week only, the Film Society is delighted to present two of Sono’s recent offerings.

Cannes Film Festival, 2011
Karlovy Vary Film Festival, 2011

“A 'Guilty' pleasure for the helmer’s fans and genre aficionados.” —Boyd van Hoeij, Variety