Fans of horror and comedy will get a kick out of Director Shinichiro Ueda’s 2017 film “One Cut of the Dead”.

Viewers enter an abandoned warehouse in Japan where a film crew struggles to complete their zombie film due to the actress Chinatsu (Yuzuki Akiyama) failing to perform up to the expectations of director Higurashi (Takayuki Hamatsu). They stop for a break after the 42nd take and the team hears strange things after the director goes outside. Chinatsu along with actor in zombie makeup Ko (Kazuaki Nagaya) and their makeup assistant (Harumi Shuhama) investigate to find one of their cameraman became one of the undead. The scene turns to pure chaos when Higurasi returns to stop the rest of them from escaping and film their terrified expressions. It is up to the three of them to find a way to flee but strange forces have other plans for them.

“One Cut of the Dead” is an outstanding blend of horror, comedy and drama. There is a lot of awkwardness within the “one cut” but the revelation of the second portion shows a heartfelt drama behind the cameras. Those interested in cinematography will get a kick out of the portrayal of the technical aspects along with the layers of production needed for this movie. It is honestly hard to explain more without spoilers but it is absolutely worth to find out by watching it.

SDAFF organizers announced during its 2018 closing night that “One Cut of the Dead” received its audience award. Director Ueda expressed his thanks via email to all those that voted for the film. It got the same award from this year’s Yubari Fantastic Film Festival in March and then Best Film from the 2018 Fantaspoa Film Festival this late spring. It also earned special awards at the 43rd Hochi Film Awards and 31st Nikkan Sports Film Awards.

For more information on “One Cut of the Dead”, check out SDAFF’s webpage.