A (1998)

A (1998) poster

Roughly chronological, from 3/96 to 11/96, with a coda in spring of 1997: inside compounds of Aum Shinrikyo, a Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara. (Members confessed to a murderous sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995.) We see what they eat, where they sleep, and how they respond to media scrutiny, on-going trials, the shrinking of their fortunes, and the criticism of society. Central focus is placed on Hiroshi Araki, a young man who finds himself elevated to chief spokesman for Aum after its leaders are arrested. Araki faces extreme hostility from the Japanese public, who find it hard to believe that most followers of the cult had no idea of the attacks and even harder to understand why these followers remain devoted to the religion, if not the violence.

Director: Tatsuya Mori
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 136 min
Release Date:

Cast

Music: Pak Poe
Editing: Tatsuya Mori, Takaharu Yasuoka
Country: Japan
Language: 日本語
Original Language: ja

Keywords

cult, aum shinrikyo

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is A about?
Roughly chronological, from 3/96 to 11/96, with a coda in spring of 1997: inside compounds of Aum Shinrikyo, a Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara. (Members confessed to a murderous sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995.) We see what they eat, where they sleep, and how they respond to media scrutiny, on-going trials, the shrinking of their fortunes, and the criticism of society. Central focus is placed on Hiroshi Araki, a young man who finds himself elevated to chief spokesman for Aum after its leaders are arrested. Araki faces extreme hostility from the Japanese public, who find it hard to believe that most followers of the cult had no idea of the attacks and even harder to understand why these followers remain devoted to the religion, if not the violence.
Who directed A?
A was directed by Tatsuya Mori.
Who stars in A?
A stars Hiroshi Araki.
How long is A?
A has a runtime of 2h 16m (136 minutes).
What genre is A?
A is a Documentary film.
Where was A produced?
A was produced in Japan.