Memory and Desire

This debut feature from director Niki Caro follows Sayo, a woman from Tokyo (Yuri Kinugawa) and her fiancé, who elope to New Zealand. A stunted beginning to their sexual relationship is overcome in a cave on an isolated West Coast beach. But then tragedy strikes. She returns to a suffocating Tokyo before being drawn back to New Zealand. The restrained study of eroticism and grief was based on a short story by Peter Wells (itself inspired by a true story). Desire was selected for Critics' Week at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. It was named Best Film at 1999's NZ Film Awards, where Caro scored a Special Jury Prize.

Key Cast & Crew

Yuri Kinugawa

As: Sayo

Eugene Nomura

As: Keiji

Joel Tobeck

As: Nod

Niki Caro

Director, Writer

Owen Hughes

Producer

John Clarke (actor)

As: Motel owner