Reygadas’ haunting debut follows a disenchanted intellectual’s search for enlightenment and, perhaps, death in the mysterious canyon terrain of Northern Mexico. Shot on beautifully textured 16mm Cinemascope, Japón reveals Reygadas’ incredible eye as well as his remarkable talent with his cast of non-actors. The uncanny presence of animals and preternatural landscapes recalls Tarkovsky – the filmmaker who, in fact, inspired Reygadas to abandon a career as a lawyer and diplomat. Winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes, Japón is an indelible masterpiece