Full US Trailer for ‘Happyend’ Film – Japanese Teens vs Surveillance
by Alex Billington
July 30, 2025
Source: YouTube
“Our generation is hopeless…. What are you laughing about?” Film Movement has debuted the official US trailer for an indie film from Japan titled Happyend, made by filmmaker Neo Sora as his first narrative feature. This premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival last year, and we posted an early teaser before its debut at NYFF as well. Ready for release in theaters this fall – one year after its premiere. Set in near-future Tokyo, the threat of a catastrophic earthquake looms. Two friends prank their principal before graduation, leading to dystopian school surveillance installation, which eventually leads to a rift between the two high school teenagers. Happyend “amplifies the sociopolitical dynamics already present in Japan today” with a sharp cinematic story about a group of friends. Another fascinating surveillance thriller, with commentary on contemporary society, similar to Stranger Eyes. The cast features Hayato Kurihara, Yukito Hidaka, Yuta Hayashi, Shina Peng, ARAZI, Kilala Inori, PUSHIM, & Makiko Watanabe. The film focuses mainly on these two friends dealing with their new surveillance world that’s taking over their entire lives. I’m a fan of this one. I listed it as one of the Best of the Fest at Venice last year – smart, clever, & intriguing.
Here’s the official US trailer (+ poster) for Neo Sora’s film Happyend, direct from FM’s YouTube:
Via Venice: “Best friends Yuta and Kou are on the brink of graduating from high school in a near-future Tokyo where the threat of a catastrophic earthquake casts a shadow over daily life. One night, they play a prank on their principal with unexpected consequences, leading to the installation of a surveillance system in the school. As the oppressive security measures take hold and the national political situation darkens, Kou grows increasingly frustrated with the world, while Yuta remains seemingly unaware. Kou finds an empathetic ear in a passionate student activist, and his political awareness begins to blossom. Believing that Yuta would never understand his newfound interests, Kou starts to distance himself from his friend. For the first time in their lifelong friendship, the two are compelled to confront differences that they had never expressed before.” Happyend is written and directed by Japanese-American artist / filmmaker Neo Sora, director of the docs Ainu Neno an Ainu and Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus, plus other Sakamoto short films & music videos, making his first narrative feature. It’s produced by Zakkubalan (Albert Tholen, Aiko Masubuchi), Cineric Creative (Eric Nyari), Cinema Inutile (Alex C. Lo), Giraffe Pictures (Anthony Chen). It first premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, and it also played at TIFF and NYFF, then opened in Japan last fall. Film Movement will debut Neo Sora’s Happyend in select US theaters on September 12th, 2025.