简介：TheJapanesescientistSekai[=theworld],seekingabrightfutureformankind,inventsamotorthatburnswater.HiswifeHikari[=thelight],dieswhengivingbirthtotheirsonAun[thebeginningandtheendofallthings].AsatoddlerAundiscoversanunusualseasnailatthebeach.Sekaiusesitforexperimentsinvolvinghisownbody,whichultimatelykillshim.TwentyyearslaterEuclides[=numbertheorist],adeafscientistfromBrazil’scapitol–themodernistBrasília–carriesonSekai’sexperiments.HebelievestheseasnailtobethemissinglinktoalivablefutureandthereforeaskshiswifeNympha[=pupalstageofbutterfly]tofindAun.ShetakesonanancientJapanesecardgamewiththeJapaneseyakuzaasshediscoversthatAunusedtogambleinTokyo.FairiesfromthewoodssendheranelfmessengerwholeadshertoAun–nowservingasapriestinaShintoshrine.Infatuationtakesaholdofthem.NymphaenterstheworldSekaihadenvisioned.Euclides,bynowintroublewiththesponsorsofhisprojectgetshiswifetoleadhimtoAun’sshrine.AstheyarriveAun–ageddramatically–handstheseasnailtoEuclides.Delightedthelattercarriesoutexperimentswhilehiswifetriestofindawaybacktotheworldshe’dbeenabletoexperience.Euclidesrejoicesashebelievestohavingsucceededincreating‘thefuture’.Thefairiesputaspellonhim.Euclidesdies.Withhislastbreathheexhalesasubstancethatmakestheworldvanishfromtheuniverse. ‘AUN–thebeginningandtheendofallthings’tellsthestoryofmankind’squestforthefuture,hisdesiretocreatethetomorrow,hisfearofandloathingfortheapocalypse.ItspinstheFaustianthemetwiceandlaysbareopentheinexhaustibleJudea/Christianbelieveinprogress,whichbythe21stcenturyhastakenovertheentireworldandhassucceededinmaneuveringtheglobeintoasituationthatcan’tbesolvedbymeansofeconomicsandscienceanymore.Enlightenment’smeritshavetakentheWest’sabilitytosensewhatisnottobeseen,whatisonlytobefelt.Believesaresomuchmorethanreligion,thanmonotheisticconcepts.Soulsandspiritsexistnotonlyinfilm.Denialandneglectofeternallawsleadtoextinction–oftheindividualandtheentirehumanrace.AUNinventsritualsaswellasmythologiesandworshipsthecreatorofitall–nature–byplayfullylayingoutitsdichotomywithhumanculture.Thefilmequalsmankind’sbeautywithnaturebyannouncingthat‘everythingmankindcreatesinnature’.Sadlythehubrisendsandgivestheaudiencethechancetoheartilyweepfortheworld.…