Japanese black comedy “Departures” was the surprise winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign film this year. When a professional musician loses his job in Tokyo, he moves to the countryside with his wife, to make a new start in life. And takes a job as a mortician.

Unlike their counterparts in other countries, in Japan morticians perform cleansing and beautifying services in front of the bereaved family, often combining reverance and sympathy with a magician’s sleight of hand.

“Departures” has won more than 80 awards worldwide and has taken more than 60 million dollars at the Japanese box office. The film is in cinemas across Europe now.

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