Having just moved to a rural, Japanese town, Elena, a “half” Japanese high school girl, feels out of place because of her foreign appearance and name. Troubled by a sense she doesn't belong, Elena struggles under the constant attention of those around her. She soon discovers that she is also being watched by something else—a monster that can only be seen through her smartphone and whose sounds can only be heard through her earphones. Life will never be the same for Elena, when the invisible monster begins its hunt.

The Invisible Half is 25-year old director Masaki Nishiyama’s feature film debut. Cao Moji, who won an Academy Award last year for his work on Godzilla -1.0 designed the VFX, and the cinematography was led by Shuhei Yamamoto, who served as the DoP for the live-action JoJo's Bizarre Adventure spin off movie Rohan au Louvre.

Director Biography - Masaki Nishiyama

Director Statement

Japanese contains a term, “hafu” (half), used to refer to people born to one Japanese and one foreign parent. Before starting this film, I didn’t even realize that “hafu” was unique to Japanese. While the term “mixed” is commonly used elsewhere, within Japan, these individuals are referred to as “half,” implying that their Japanese identity is somehow incomplete.

I came to realize how this label could make people of mixed heritage feel alienated, especially in a country like Japan, where the population is largely homogenous and foreign or immigrant communities remain in the minority.

I hope to reaffirm the importance of accepting one’s identity and finding a place where one can belong, even in a society that pressures individuals to conform.