Film Director Kenji Mizoguchi

Kenji Mizoguchi (1989-1956), a giant who shines brilliantly in the history of world cinema. In 2026, marking the 70th anniversary of his death, the National Film Archive of Japan will hold its first-ever exhibition dedicated to Director Mizoguchi, honoring his great achievements. Born in Tokyo, Mizoguchi initially aspired to be a painter in his youth, but joined the Nikkatsu Mukojima Studio in 1920. In 1923, he began his career as a director with Ai ni yomigaeru hi. After relocating his base to a studio in Kyoto due to the Great Kanto Earthquake, he continued to produce a diverse range of works. Osaka Elegy and Sisters of Gion (both 1936), which depicted women as victims of society with uncompromising realism, represent one of Mizoguchi’s pinnacles. Furthermore, his epic tale of the arts, The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums (1939), and the two-part The 47 Ronin (1941-42), which featured unprecedentedly massive sets, demonstrate Mizoguchi’s leading role in Japanese cinema. After the war, following his comeback film Women of the Night (1948), his masterpieces based on classical Japanese literature—The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953), and Sansho the Bailiff (1954)—won awards at the Venice International Film Festival for three consecutive years. His frequent use of long takes and tracking shots, along with his perfectionist direction, internationally showcased the high artistic quality of Japanese cinema and inspired filmmakers worldwide, including French New Wave directors, Theo Angelopoulos, and Andrei Tarkovsky. This exhibition will introduce Mizoguchi’s lifelong achievements, filmmaking techniques, and contributions to world cinema, while also analyzing his directing style using materials left behind by the renowned staff of the “Team Mizoguchi,” including cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa, art director Hiroshi Mizutani, and composer Fumio Hayasaka. Please look forward to this rare exhibition that delves into Mizoguchi’s uncompromising and intense cinematic art.