Set in Japan’s capital, Tokyo Project tells the story of a mysterious romance between two strangers (played by Elisabeth Moss and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they explore the hidden treasures of the city. Written and directed by longtime Girls collaborator Richard Shepard, who helmed several of the HBO series’ standout episodes, the new short film is his way of satisfying an itch for a “pure creative experience.” Why end a film after 33 minutes, with so many unanswered questions? Because this is not a film about Sebastian, Claire, or Janet. The HBO short film is punctuated with an ellipsis. It is not a ghost story or a romantic flick, regardless of how any reviewer would like to categorize it. It is a thirty-minute meditation on loneliness, identity, and how the two concepts can be manipulated through time and space.
