Dark Water on Arte: Hideo Nakata revisits Kōji Suzuki’s ghosts

Dark Water joins Arte’s lineup dedicated to fantasy cinema. With this 2002 Japanese film, Hideo Nakata returns to the world of Kōji Suzuki, the writer whose work he had already adapted in Ring. This time, the threat emerges from the heart of the home a woman is trying to rebuild for herself and her child.

After her divorce, Yoshimi moves into a rundown apartment building on the outskirts of Tokyo with her daughter, Ikuko. A damp patch spreads across the ceiling, while noises come from the floor above, which is supposedly unoccupied. These first strange occurrences shake her hopes of a fresh start.

Hitomi Kuroki plays Yoshimi, and Rio Kanno plays her daughter. The story intertwines their difficult adjustment to a new home with a ghost story, taking the fear of losing her child as its starting point. The water that gradually encroaches on their daily lives gives the film both its title and its central motif.

• To be read
• Top cinemas in Paris

For more, check out our selection of films, series and shows to watch on TV this week, our guide to new releases across all platforms, and today’s picks in What to Watch on Streaming Today.

This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.