JFF23: The Forbidden Play

Synopsis

When beloved wife and mother Miyuki passes away, her little son Haruto buries one of her fingers in the backyard she cherished dearly, hoping to bring her back to life. As father Naoto watches Haruto chant a resurrection spell, he can hardly bear to tell him there’s no way to bring his mother back. But little does Naoto know, as Haruto repeats his chants daily, something evil is pulsing underground... How could Miyuki ever rest in peace when Naoto turned his back on a family promise?

The Forbidden Play is the film adaptation of the 2019 novel of the same name, written by Karuma Shimizu. Director Hideo Nakata, renowned worldwide for the cultural phenomenon Ring (1998), playfully concocts a mixture of Hollywood and J-horror tropes, creating an unforgettable yet unexpected antagonist who defies the laws of nature. Make way for backyard abomination Miyuki as she crawls through!