Meaning Through Perspective: A Mise-En-Scène Examination of the Film ‘Perfect Days’

This paper intends to provide a Mise-en-Scène analysis of the film Perfect Days and its cinematic language. The Japanese film "Perfect Days," directed by Wim Wenders was released in 2023. It was nominated for the 2024 Academy award. The film showcases fluctuations and contrasting solitude with loneliness, while also addressing themes of acceptance and acknowledgment. Specific scenes from the Japanese film are selected to analyze the five elements of mise-en-scène namely characters, stage, décor, light, and space, in order to comprehend their significance and the film's mood and meaning. The paper concludes that meaning has been constructed through these five aspects, despite the recurring scenes lacking the spoken, and how this has rendered the film particularly visually appealing.