Super Happy Forever

Sano checks into hotel room number 819, which offers a beautiful view of the seaside resort and ocean. It's the same room where the young Nagi stayed five years ago, when he first met her. The two later became a couple, but recently, she was unexpectedly torn from his life. Deeply affected by the loss, Sano now tries to retrace the steps of that fateful encounter with his friend Miyata, hoping to find some solace by returning to the place where it all began. Cynical and bitter, he responds to his cheerful friend's attempts to lift his spirits with scorn. During a long night of confrontation, Sano's destructive aura becomes too much, even for him. Left alone, he is consumed by memories of his beloved Nagi. Through his recollections, we too come to know Nagi, as we return with her to the sleepy seaside town and the August day when their paths first crossed.

For director Kōhei IGARASHI, this is his fourth feature film over the past 15 years. He gained significant festival recognition with The Night I Swam (2017). The script for Super Happy Forever was inspired by Igarashi's own experiences, but also heavily influenced by his two lead actors, Hiroki SANO and Yoshinori MIYATA, who suggested making a film about their real-life characters. With Nairu YAMAMOTO cast as Nagi, Igarashi found the perfect fit. Yamamoto is also featured in two other films at Japannual 2024, including the film-within-a-film comedy Inch Forward and the indie feel-good comedy Push Pause. Two years ago, she delivered a standout performance in the lead role of Rikiya Imaizumi's Straying (Japannual 2022). Super Happy Forever opened this year's Giornate degli Autori section at the Venice Film Festival, where it was met with great applause.