Synopsis

BEWARE THE GENEROUS



Yamanba is the modern retelling of a classic Japanese legend adapted for the screen. The story is as timeless as it is simple: a young man is lost in the woods, exhausted and cold. Night is quickly approaching with no hope in sight when an attractive woman mysteriously appears. She offers him shelter and insists that he spend the night in her care. Yet the mysterious nature of the woman is well founded and when the young man probes too far into her home he learns the terrible intention of her generosity. Filmed in Japanese with English Subtitles. Run time about six minutes.



The Yamanba is an ambitious project by directors Aaron Hurlburt and Brian Hoover. The story is a rough adaptation of a group of Japanese legends loosely linked by their traveler’s tale structure and female Yokai or demon. Though the film takes its title from the Yama-Uba or mountain crone it also borrows heavily from the Yuki-Onna or Snow Woman. We join the protagonist, an unnamed young man from a contemporary city, after his story has already begun. While travelling through a snowy cliff-faced forest, he has become separated from his friend and his cell phone has ceased to function. As sunset draws ever closer, temperatures drop and our hero grows visibly exhausted. While stopping to catch his breath, he sees a beautiful woman in the distance blending into the snow like a mirage before disappearing. He races after her unsuccessfully, only for her to chillingly reappear. Nearly delusional, her white traditional kimono and cryptic remarks barely faze the young man and he disembarks with her to a “warm place”.
After arriving safely, the woman’s mannerisms become increasingly strange inside. As the young man inquires about her he begins to grow suspicious of her ambiguous responses. After stating his desire to leave she insists that he spend the night in her home. Without a real choice, he agrees. Later, he is awakened by his now functioning cell phone. Though he is relieved to see it is a call from his friend the line instantly goes dead upon answer. Quickly calling back, our hero makes a terrifying discovery. His friend’s phone is somewhere within the house. This prompts the young man to investigate his increasingly surreal surrounding, a choice that could be his last.