Paprika (2006) パプリカ
Director: Satoshi Kon
Screenwriter: Kiyoshi Mizukami / Satoshi Kon / Yasutaka Tsutsui
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara / Toru Emori / Katsunosuke Hori / Toru Furuya / Akio Otsuka / Koichi Yamadera / Hideyuki Tanaka / Satomi Korogi / Mitsuo Iwata / Rikako Aikawa / Akiko Kawase / Shinichiro Ota / Shinya Fukumatsu / Anri Katsu / Eiji Miyashita / Kozo Mito / Satoshi Kon / Yasutaka Tsutsui
Genre: Sci-Fi / Animation / Suspense / Thriller
Country of origin: Japan
Language: Japanese
Dates: September 2, 2006 (Venice Film Festival) / November 25, 2006 (Japan)
Duration: 90 minutes
Also known as: Paprika (Hong Kong/Taiwan)
IMDb: tt0851578
Adaptation: Homage
Summary:
In the near future, the Psychiatric Medical Research Institute in Tokyo develops a machine capable of visualizing dreams to treat the increasingly prevalent and severe mental illnesses plaguing modern society. With the aid of a device known as the "Mini-DC," dreams are displayed on a monitor, making it easier to pinpoint the root causes of a patient's anxiety. One day, three Mini-DC units are stolen; subsequently, the dreams of researchers associated with the project are invaded, leaving the victims critically injured. Atsuko Chiba, a beautiful therapist who leads a secret life as the "dream detective" Paprika—capable of entering and sharing her patients' dreams—must venture into the victims' dreamscapes to track down the culprit. A battle filled with fantasy and suspense ensues… The film was selected for the main competition at the 2006 Venice Film Festival and won the Critics' Choice Award at the 2007 Fantasporto (Portugal) and the People's Choice Award at the 2006 Montreal Film Festival.
