Nagisa Oshima's illustrious career spans an extraordinary period of time, from the inception of the "Nuberu bagu" (New Wave) movement in Japanese cinema in the late 1950s and early 1960s, to the present day, where he continues to utilize cinema and television as a medium to express the paradoxes of modern society.
Early Life and Career
Born with a passion for filmmaking, Oshima's journey began with his involvement in the student protest movement in Kyoto, which laid the foundation for his future success. He quickly rose through the ranks of the Shochiku company, starting as an apprentice in 1954 and eventually becoming a director by 1960.
However, Oshima's artistic vision clashed with the traditional studio production policies, leading him to break away from Shochiku and form his own independent production company, Sozosha, in 1965. This bold move enabled him to collaborate with other Japanese New Wave filmmakers, such as Masahiro Shinoda, Shôhei Imamura, and Yoshishige Yoshida, who shared his desire to challenge the humanistic style and subject matter of established directors like Yasujirô Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, and Akira Kurosawa.
Oshima's Body of Work
Throughout his career, Oshima has been primarily concerned with depicting the contradictions and tensions of postwar Japanese society. His films often expose contemporary Japanese materialism, while also examining what it means to be Japanese in the face of rapid industrialization and Westernization.
Many of his earlier films, such as "A Town of Love and Hope" (1959) and "The Sun's Burial" (1960),feature rebellious, underprivileged youths in anti-heroic roles. His most famous film in the West, "In the Realm of the Senses" (1976),centers on an obsessive sexual relationship, which gains additional power by being based on an actual incident.
Other notable Oshima films include "Death by Hanging" (1968),an examination of the prejudicial treatment of Koreans in Japan; "Boy" (1969),which deals with the cruel use of a child for extortion purposes, and with the child's subsequent escapist fantasies; "The Man Who Left His Will on Film" (1970),about the art of filmmaking itself; and "The Ceremony" (1971),which presents a microcosmic view of Japanese postwar history through the lives of one wealthy family.
Recent Work and Prolific Career
In recent years, Oshima has repeatedly turned to sources outside Japan for the production of his films, as seen in "In the Realm of the Senses" (1976) and "Max My Love" (1986). Less well-known in the West is Oshima's prolific work as a documentarist, film theorist, and television personality.
He is the host of a long-running television talk show, "The School for Wives", in which female participants (kept anonymous by a distorting glass) present their personal problems, to which he responds from off-screen.
