Kenji Mizoguchi

“You must put the odor of the human body into images...describe for me the implacable, the egoistic, the sensual, the cruel...there are nothing but disgusting people in this world.” Kenji Mizoguchi, born in 1898 in Tokyo, was a renowned Japanese film director, screenwriter and producer. Coming from a poor family, his childhood was marked by economic difficulties and health problems. Mizoguchi began his film career as an assistant director at Nikkatsu in 1920 and made his directorial debut in 1923 with Ai ni yomigaeru hi (The Resurgence of Love). His early works included adaptations of German-language dramas and literary works, and his interest in traditional Japanese theater influenced his visual and narrative style. In the late 1920s, he began to develop his signature style, focusing on the suffering and sacrifice of women, a recurring theme that reflected his own family experiences. His films, such as Kyōren no onna shishō (Passion of a Schoolmistress) and Osaka Elegy (1936), were notable for their deep empathy for the female protagonists. During World War II, Mizoguchi directed several films that some critics regard as propaganda, although his later works focused on female emancipation and social injustices. Utamaro and His Five Women (1946) and Flame of My Love (1949) are examples of his commitment to these issues. Mizoguchi achieved international acclaim with films such as The Life of Oharu (1952), which portrays the downfall of a noblewoman during the Edo period, and Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954), which deal with the devastating consequences of war. These works won him awards at the Venice Film Festival and recognition from critics such as Jean-Luc Godard. He died in 1956 at the age of 58, leaving a lasting legacy in world cinema.