The Departure

Emmy-winning filmmaker Lana Wilson’s documentary centers on Ittetsu Nemoto, a former punk musician whose midlife career shift finds him serving as a Buddhist priest in Japan, where he helps people who are seeking to end their lives. Living with his wife, young son, and mother in a countryside temple, Nemoto’s deep commitment is emotionally challenging; his ability to remain reassuring and compassionate while working with individuals undergoing physical and emotional hardship is truly impressive. In one of the most memorable sequences, Nemoto carefully offers instruction regarding the concepts of life and death to participants in a suicide prevention workshop. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that Nemoto’s dedication to this mission is not just academic or charitable, but also a mirror of his own experience: his health is fraying dramatically, and the questions that others asks of him are identical to those he asks himself. But Nemoto insists on being a rock of stability for those seeking his aid. "I take on so much of their suffering when I’m counseling--I can never show them how draining it is," he says. Suicide is a difficult subject to tackle cinematically, but Wilson offers a mature and provocative examination of the topic via one remarkable advocate of life. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)