Fear and Trembling (2003)

Fear and Trembling (2003) is a French film adapted from Amélie Nothomb’s novel of the same name. The story follows Amélie, a young Belgian woman who spent her childhood in Japan, as she returns to live and assimilate into Japanese society. Despite her determination to fully embrace the culture and become a ‘real Japanese’ before her one year contract expires, her strong will clashes with the humble nature of Japanese society. She secures a prestigious role as a translator at an import/export company, but her lack of understanding of Japanese customs and unsuitable work assignments lead to demotions that become increasingly degrading.

Despite Amelie’s admiration for her manager, Ms. Mori, she takes pleasure in belittling Amelie. Eventually, Mori successfully breaks Amelie’s will by assigning her to be the bathroom attendant. She is pleased when Amelie informs her that she will not be renewing her contract. As a result of Mori’s consistent humiliation, Amelie understands that she has truly assimilated into Japanese culture as she enters the company president’s office ‘with fear and trembling’. This behavior is emphasized in the film through its title, ‘Fear and Trembling’, which symbolizes the expected demeanor when addressing the Emperor in Japanese society.