In Her Room

Q&A with Chihiro Ito and Satoru Iguchi

There are mysteries nested inside mysteries in this otherworldly erotic film, the directorial debut of veteran screenwriter Chihiro Ito (Crying Out Love in the Center of the World, Spring Snow), adapted from her own novel. Establishing herself instantly with a unique vision, Ito fully embraces the rewards of arthouse cinema’s long takes to stunning effect. Moving at a hypnotic pace, with many scenes so hushed they could almost be pantomimes, In Her Room follows a shy dentist, Dr. Susume (Satoru Iguchi, the keyboardist for J-pop sensation King Gnu), as he develops a strange relationship with a woman who lives in a lush, plant-filled apartment. The two share confidences as the vines creep over the walls and praying mantises scuttle silently. But Susume soon finds himself displaced by a female rival. Maybe. Possibly. Who really knows? This hothouse of secrets and lies is utterly beguiling, with hints of the absurd and an unforgettable soupçon of the surreal.