Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2013

The English-language documentary Liv & Ingmar (2012; pictured) draws on interviews, archival footage and film clips to explore the 42-year creative and romantic relationship between acclaimed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman and his frequent star Liv Ullmann. Screening from December 7 at Shibuya’s Eurospace (1-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku; www.eurospace.co.jp)… Director Fabrice Gobert brings new edginess to French cinema with Lights Out (2010), a thriller about high school students whose weekend party takes a dark turn when they discover the body of a classmate in the forest. With a soundtrack by now defunct band Sonic Youth. Screening from December 14 at Eurospace…Prolific French director François Ozon has one film in theaters and another on the way. In the House (2012), on at Bunkamura’s Le Cinema (2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku; www.bunkamura.co.jp) until December 13, tells the story of a high school teacher (Fabrice Luchini ) who falls into a trap a student sets when he hands in an essay about his taboo relationship with a classmate’s mother. Ozon’s latest, Jeune & Jolie, is due out next February. The 46-year old filmmaker has averaged one film per year since 1999.