“Desert of Namibia” follows mercurial 21-year-old Kana (Yuumi Kawai), a hair-removal technician at a salon in Tokyo, who bristles against the beauty expectations placed on women her age. Her erratic mood and default to self-destruct impacts all of her relationships, as moments of levity erupt into violence and optimism simmers to despair.
The award-winning Kawai embodies Kana with an emotional intensity and clear-eyed precision that evokes Gena Rowlands in Cassavettes’ “A Woman Under The Infkuence.” Yoko Yamanaka’s sophomore work masterfully conveys the chaos and disarray of a young woman at odds with the world as much as with herself.
This film is a slice of life for a young lady living in Japan but who reportedly has roots in China (an idea that’s not fully developed).
Kana changes boyfriends often, disregarding career and social norms. Her unpredictable behavior leads to a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder as she navigates a rigid, patriarchal society.
She is working fine as an esthetician at a salon, and things appear to be going well. Well, as good as a relationship can go for Kana, as she initially lives with one guy named Honda who seems to be nurturing and a protector. She hangs with her friends one night and returns to their apartment drunk and throwing up.
He takes it all in stride, cleans her up, puts her to bed and makes sure she has breakfast in the morning before she heads off to work. He had a nice car and stable employment, but this doesn’t seem to be enough.
Afterward, she creeps to another young man’s apartment named Hayashi and hangs with him. He is a free spirit, an artist who seems to be forever writing a script.
Her life goes on, she hangs with some friends at party of some sort, but she presents as being a loner.
It is intimated that she has had an abortion after learning she is pregnant with the first guy’s child.
She starts exhibiting irrational behavior with the artist boyfriend.
After a bad argument Kana suffers a fall that renders her incapacitated for a while. Tempers glare hot again. Soon after she’s diagnosed with bi-polar.
The film progresses, with her going to therapy and acting out in fits of rage with her boyfriend.
Yamanaka’s first film “Amiko” was about a carefree young woman. “Desert of Namibia” is markedly different. The first hour is a slow burn, but things speed up substantially in the later half.
I felt sorry for Kana and Hayashi; she’s spiraling and he had to bear the brunt of it.
The title is never really explained, but a catchphrase spoken at the end of the film “Ting bu dong,” which means “I don’t understand” could easily apply to this film. Kans doesn’t understand what is happening to her, and Hayashi sort of feels responsible for her well-being, but he is in the dark about just what their relationship means at this point.
This film has been described as a psychological piece by some. I don’t exactly see it that way. I see it as a young lady who early on was bereft of sympathy in considering her friend’s concern when told about another friend’s suicide.
Kana, played by Yuumi Kawai, is a free spirit and something goes amiss. Whether it’s thinking about her lost family, where it is intimated that she may have had an abusive father. Or maybe she felt dismissed by the second boyfriend.
“Desert of Namibia” premieres on May 16 in New York, expanding to other cities later.
Take a look at the trailer: https://youtu.be/24ewX2Zf4m0?si=APi3xIMeZ-5c0INI.
Elaine Hegwood Bowen, M.S.J., is the Entertainment Editor for the Chicago Crusader. She is a National Newspaper Publishers Association Entertainment Writing’ award winner, contributor to “Rust Belt Chicago” and the author of “Old School Adventures from Englewood: South Side of Chicago.” For info, Old School Adventures from Englewood-South Side of Chicago (lulu.com)