Gift: A silent film with live music score

Experience the Sydney premiere of GIFT, a new audiovisual collaboration between acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and multi-instrumentalist composer Eiko Ishibashi, who will perform a live soundtrack at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

GIFT reimagines Hamaguchi’s ecopolitical thriller Evil does not exist (2023) as an eerie silent film. Set in a village outside of Tokyo, the film’s stunning visuals will be animated by a lush, improvised score of electronics and percussion.

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s film Wheel of fortune and fantasy (2021) won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2023, Evil does not exist received numerous awards including the Silver Lion Award (Grand Jury Prize) at the Venice Film Festival and Best Film at the BFI London Film Festival.

Eiko Ishibashi’s work ranges from acclaimed singer-songwriter albums to scores for film, television, theatre and exhibitions, and improvised music. She has collaborated with international artists such as Jim O’Rourke, Keiji Haino, Oren Ambarchi and many others. Among her scores is Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Oscar-winning film Drive my car (2021).

Presented by Art Gallery of New South Wales in partnership with QAGOMA.