Documentary focuses on man behind a cruelly bizarre 1990s Japanese reality show

By YURI KAGEYAMA
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Naked and frail, a shaggy-haired man films himself as he endures solitude in a tiny room for months, and months more. “The Contestant” directed by Clair Titley, explores the story behind the late 1990s reality TV show from Japan, “A Life in Prizes,” in which a comedian nicknamed Nasubi is forced to survive on whatever he can redeem from mail-in coupons, as he is denied contact with the outside world. Nasubi never manages to clothe himself and remains naked throughout the show. But he dances to celebrate the things he does obtain, especially food, even if it’s just a pot of kimchi. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 and will stream on Hulu from May 2.