Scarlet Thirst

Bound by a grim ritual, Shinto priest Yoichi is compelled every ten months and ten days to slaughter a monstrous creature and distribute its flesh among the residents of his isolated village. Trapped in this secluded existence, he harbors deep dissatisfaction with his life yet remains paralyzed by hesitation, unable to take the step into the unknown world beyond his home. His quiet endurance is disrupted when his childhood friend, Kyo, returns to the village following the death of Yoichi’s father. Kyo arrives with a desperate plea, urging Yoichi to abandon his burdensome duties and flee the village alongside him. The prospect of freedom tempts Yoichi, but his reluctance to leave stems from far more than mere obligation or fear of the unfamiliar. A sinister secret anchors him to the village, one deeply intertwined with his role and the dark traditions he upholds. When this hidden truth finally surfaces, it threatens to irrevocably shatter the bond between the two friends and alter the course of their lives forever.