In 2015, a dystopian omnibus film by five young directors from Hong Kong titled "Ten Years" became an indie hit. Envisioning the deteriorating state of the city in a decade's time, the film enraged Chinese authorities — and inspired "Ten Years" versions in Taiwan, Thailand and Japan.
Supervised by acclaimed director Hirokazu Kore-eda ("Shoplifters"), "Ten Years Japan" also features five young directors and five versions of this country's near future. Similar to the model on which the project is based, these future Japans are more chillingly possible than thrillingly fantastic — like a Japanese take on the sci-fi series "Black Mirror." The segments are also sharp and to the point, if different in style. Unusual for an omnibus film, the quality level is consistently high.
The first segment is Chie Hayakawa's "Plan 75," which begins with a young bureaucrat (Satoru Kawaguchi) patiently explaining a government euthanasia program to its intended targets: low-income and disabled seniors aged 75, who are deemed disposable. His stressed and pregnant wife (Kinuwo Yamada) then suggests her dementia-afflicted mother for "Plan 75."