The Sun (Sontse, Russia, 2005)

Director Alexander Sokurov shows us the last days of the Japanese empire under the Emperor’s reign after the defeat suffered during World War II. Just as in his earlier film Moloch, in this movie we see how the Emperor spends his days alone in his residence, surrounded by his servants. One day, the American army comes to the residence and arrests the Emperor. He is taken away for interrogation. All along he is treated really nicely, like a member of a royal family. For the Japanese, this defeat meant a great loss of confidence in their Emperor. He was regarded as a superior being by the people. This movie shows in an extraordinary way how his servants reacted and spoke to the Emperor during this time of crisis. With very few actors, Sokurov is able to achieve what many directors strive for: a real interest in the main characters.