Noriko's Dinner Table (Noriko No Shokutaku)

2005
Dir. Sion Sono,
With Kazue Fukiishi, Tsugumi and Yuriko Yoshitaka
Digital Projection, 159 min

Both prequel and sequel to Sono's “Suicide Club,” this narrative takes up both before and after the events depicted in “Suicide Club,” by focusing on a family that is profoundly affected by the mass suicides portrayed in the film.  A young girl seeks emotional connection through a website that provides her with a manufactured family that fulfills her immediate desire for love. As the story unfolds, the girls' new life turns morbid and dark as mass-suicides begin infiltrating the Japanese populace. This film should not be seen as merely an addition to “Suicide Club” but instead as a stand-alone cinematic narrative following contemporary family dynamics and commentary on society.