Belladonna of Sadness (new restoration)

Never before released in the U.S., see the just-completed 4K restoration of forgotten animation masterpiece Belladonna of Sadness. It is the third and last of the adult-oriented Animerama trilogy produced by the “Godfather of Manga” Osamu Tezuka and directed by his longtime collaborator Eiichi Yamamoto (Astro Boy). Based on the book Satanism and Witchcraft by French writer Jules Michelet, young and innocent Jeanne is ravaged by the local lord and makes a pact with the Devil himself. The Devil--voiced by legendary actor Tatsuya Nakadai (Ran, The Human Condition)--appears in phallic forms and, through Jeanne, incites the village into a sexual frenzy. In a new restoration using the original camera negatives, this erotic and psychedelic trip of a film springs to life.

Japan. 1973. 89 min. DCP, in Japanese with English subtitles. Directed by Eiichi Yamamoto. With Aiko Nagayama, Takao Ito, Tatsuya Nakadai. 

18+ This film is unrated, but may only be viewed by persons 18 years of age and older, and contains explicit imagery of sexual violence.
 
Epilepsy trigger warning: intense flashing/flickering sequences may be harmful to those with light sensitivity.

“A must-see for fans of Japanese animation.” -Electric Sheep