Considering the experimental, anti-genre, anti-normal paths a number of Atg productions followed, it is by no surprise that a film like “Assassination of Ryoma” was produced under the company. Kazuo Kuroki has essentially come up with a film that seems to mock samurai films, historical films, and even samurai and history itself, while at the same time, making sociopolitical comments that echoed from the end of the Bakufu in 1867 until the 1970s. In order to do so, he decided to focus on Sakamoto Ryoma, a rather significant figure in the history of Japan, who, despite being a low-ranking samurai, became an active opponent of the Tokugawa Shogunate after the end of Japan's sakoku isolationist policy, advocated for democracy, Japanese nationalism, return of power to the Imperial Court, abolition of feudalism, and moderate modernization and industrialization of Japan, and successfully negotiated the Satcho Alliance between the powerful rival Choshu and Satsuma...
- 9/13/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Among the many films produced and distributed by Art Theatre Guild, the body of work of director Kazuo Kuroki remains one of the most interesting. While it never reached the same kind of attention than the features of his peers such as Nagisa Oshima and Akio Jissoji, his projects dealing with the psychological landscape of Japan after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are some of the best the company ever produced. Similar to the aforementioned directors, his time of Atg was also defined by stories which involved a critical view on Japanese society, especially the relation of people and authority, of crime and police, which is quite evident in his 1970 feature “Evil Spirits of Japan”.
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The story revolves around two men: a yakuza named Murase and a policeman by the name of Ochiai (both played by Kei Sato...
Follow our coverage of Atg by clicking on the link below
The story revolves around two men: a yakuza named Murase and a policeman by the name of Ochiai (both played by Kei Sato...
- 8/31/2023
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
A stellar snapshot of recent Japanese cinema is coming next month to the Japan Society. Flash Forward: Debut Works and Recent Films by Notable Japanese Directors––which takes an intimate look at six of Japan’s most well-known directors: Naomi Kawase, Miwa Nishikawa, Shuichi Okita, Junji Sakamoto, Akihiko Shiota, and Masayuki Suo––will feature films available to stream nationwide from Dec. 3-23 and two in-person screenings in Japan Society’s auditorium on December 11 and 17. Ahead of the series, we’re pleased to exclusively debut the festival trailer.
Pairing each debut with a recent work, the series presents two distinct facets of each filmmaker’s career—encouraging dialogue and interplay as well as tracking the development of their signature voice. By drawing parallels and contrasts between past and present, Flash Forward illuminates the importance of these pivotal early works within each artist’s career.
Series highlights include Naomi Kawase’s...
Pairing each debut with a recent work, the series presents two distinct facets of each filmmaker’s career—encouraging dialogue and interplay as well as tracking the development of their signature voice. By drawing parallels and contrasts between past and present, Flash Forward illuminates the importance of these pivotal early works within each artist’s career.
Series highlights include Naomi Kawase’s...
- 11/15/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: The second Aca Cinema Project series, “Flash Forward: Debut Works and Recent Films by Notable Japanese Directors,” has set its lineup for a hybrid program that will run from December 3-23. Presented by the New York-based non-profit Japan Society and the Japanese government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with the Visual Industry Promotion Organization, the event will be comprised of 18 films streaming in North America on Japan Society’s Virtual Cinema hub, along with two in-person screenings on December 11 and 17.
Highlighting the early efforts of now-established contemporary filmmakers, the program takes a look at six of Japan’s well-known directors: Naomi Kawase, Miwa Nishikawa, Shuichi Okita, Junji Sakamoto, Akihiko Shiota and Masayuki Suo. Pairing each of their debuts with a recent work, the series presents two facets of their careers. (Scroll down for the full list.) Panel discussions will also be held with some of the filmmakers and available to stream worldwide.
Highlighting the early efforts of now-established contemporary filmmakers, the program takes a look at six of Japan’s well-known directors: Naomi Kawase, Miwa Nishikawa, Shuichi Okita, Junji Sakamoto, Akihiko Shiota and Masayuki Suo. Pairing each of their debuts with a recent work, the series presents two facets of their careers. (Scroll down for the full list.) Panel discussions will also be held with some of the filmmakers and available to stream worldwide.
- 11/4/2021
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
The 1964 Olympics in Tokyo was a special time for Japan, marking the first major international event to take place in the country in the post-war world. Naturally, coverage leading up to the games was massive, and cinema was taken full advantage of to get the nation excited about the upcoming games. Aside from the titanic effort that is Kon Ichikawa’s “Tokyo Olympiad”, there were many smaller documentaries produced in and around the competition, one of which was Kazuo Kuroki’s “Record of a Marathon Runner”.
Record of a Marathon Runner screened at Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival
Now, I must confess right from the off that it’s seemingly impossible to find a version of Kuroki’s film available with English subtitles, so as for the content of the narration, I cannot comment. However, if a film manages to keep you engaged in the way that “Record of a Marathon Runner” did,...
Record of a Marathon Runner screened at Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival
Now, I must confess right from the off that it’s seemingly impossible to find a version of Kuroki’s film available with English subtitles, so as for the content of the narration, I cannot comment. However, if a film manages to keep you engaged in the way that “Record of a Marathon Runner” did,...
- 9/20/2021
- by Tom Wilmot
- AsianMoviePulse
Akio Jissoji’s first film produced by the Art Theatre Guild (Atg), “This Transient Life” was also one of the most successful, receiving a wider release outside the Atg circuit and winning the Grand Prix at the Locarno film festival in 1970, thus gaining international acknowledgement for both the director and his movie, and the Guild.
The film revolves around siblings Masao and Yuri who live in a huge estate near Lake Biwa, north of Kyoto. Despite being born in a rather traditional family, both siblings are rather rebellious for the particular times, with Yuri rejecting all proposals from her parents to marry her off, and Masao to attend the university or follow in the footsteps of his merchant father, instead obsessing with books and Buddhist sculptures. Masao in particular fights frequently with his father regarding his life decisions, with the latter threatening to disown him a number of times.
The film revolves around siblings Masao and Yuri who live in a huge estate near Lake Biwa, north of Kyoto. Despite being born in a rather traditional family, both siblings are rather rebellious for the particular times, with Yuri rejecting all proposals from her parents to marry her off, and Masao to attend the university or follow in the footsteps of his merchant father, instead obsessing with books and Buddhist sculptures. Masao in particular fights frequently with his father regarding his life decisions, with the latter threatening to disown him a number of times.
- 8/21/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Sho Miyake – directed his first feature, ‘Good for nothing’ in 2010. His ‘Playback’ debuted in competition at the 2012 Locarno International Film Festival and won him several directing awards in Japan. The ‘Cockpit’ premiered at the Cinéma du Réel documentary festival. He also directed TV dramas and video artwork. His new film ‘Wild Tour’ will be released in 2019.
Tasuku Emoto – actor who is from a family of prolific and well-respected character actors. His father is actor Akira Emoto, his mother is actress Kazue Tsunogae, his younger brother is actor Tokio Emoto, and his wife is actress Sakura Ando. He began acting as a young teenager and has since played many supporting roles and starred in a wide range of TV dramas and feature films. He was born in Tokyo on 1986 and attended Wako High School. His career began in 2001 while he was still a student. That year he auditioned for and won...
Tasuku Emoto – actor who is from a family of prolific and well-respected character actors. His father is actor Akira Emoto, his mother is actress Kazue Tsunogae, his younger brother is actor Tokio Emoto, and his wife is actress Sakura Ando. He began acting as a young teenager and has since played many supporting roles and starred in a wide range of TV dramas and feature films. He was born in Tokyo on 1986 and attended Wako High School. His career began in 2001 while he was still a student. That year he auditioned for and won...
- 11/30/2018
- by Nikodem Karolak
- AsianMoviePulse
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