Poker (2010)

A filmmaker talks about his work and love life with an unseen friend behind the camera. We also watch four of his short films.

Roughly chronological, from 3/96 to 11/96, with a coda in spring of 1997: inside compounds of Aum Shinrikyo, a Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara. (Members confessed to a murderous sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995.) We see what they eat, where they sleep, and how they respond to media scrutiny, on-going trials, the shrinking of their fortunes, and the criticism of society. Central focus is placed on Hiroshi Araki, a young man who finds himself elevated to chief spokesman for Aum after its leaders are arrested. Araki faces extreme hostility from the Japanese public, who find it hard to believe that most followers of the cult had no idea of the attacks and even harder to understand why these followers remain devoted to the religion, if not the violence.

Small town in Italy, end of the 19th century. Luciano, a drunk, doesn't fit in the town. Rebelion against authority and a forbidden love makes him to commit a crime accidentally. To pay for his crime, he is forced into exile on the most remote island in the world, Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego. The hunt for the shipwreck treasure hidden on the island becomes his opportunity for redemption.

A turbulent day in a life, painted by air.

not there yet

Divers go to work on a wrecked ship (the battleship Maine that was blown up in Havana harbour during the Spanish-American War), surrounded by curiously disproportionate fish.

Ex-con Russell Gaines is attempting to rebuild his life with the help of his father, Mitchell. However, the arrival of Maben sends his new life into chaos, leading the pair to go on the run - as their violent pasts catch up to them, the pair must learn to trust each other if they hope to live out the rest of their days.

Anton and Erika started out as friends for five years and got into a romantic relationship for seven years. Anton is a commercial director while Erika is a former band member and becomes his stay-at-home partner. The day finally comes when he asks her to marry him.

Frankie Chan plays a movie dubber who can read lips.

Hail is worried because Seungha, a pretty and sexy daughter-in-law, looks like a woman these days. An open-minded way of walking around the house in short clothes without hesitation, showing aegyo, etc. It is becoming increasingly intolerable to the tsunami. Hearing the sound of his son Do-jin and Seung-ha having sex is also starting to get harder. One day, the tsunami was spent relaxing at an illegal massage parlor. He takes a nap, but Seung-ha appears and seduces himself to dream of having sex. Seungha gazes at the tsunami who wakes up after having a sweet dream.