Contents
Nagisa Ōshima
Directing provocative films including In the Realm of the Senses and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.
Death by Hanging · In the Realm of the Senses
- Born
- 31 March 1932
- Birthplace
- Kyoto, Japan
- Died
- 15 January 2013
More people
Nagisa Ōshima
Japanese New Wave filmmaker whose work challenged conventions around power, discrimination and sexuality.
Early life
Childhood loss
His father died while he was young, an experience he later described as formative.
University politics
Studied political history at Kyoto University before entering the film industry.
Career
- 1954–1960
Studio beginnings
Joined Shochiku and advanced from assistant work to directing.
- 1960s–1970s
Independent filmmaking
Left the studio and made increasingly experimental and politically challenging films.
- 1980s–1999
International productions
Worked with international casts and returned after illness to make his final film.
Selected work
Death by Hanging
A darkly comic examination of execution and anti-Korean prejudice.
In the Realm of the Senses
A controversial exploration of an obsessive relationship.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
A wartime drama about prisoners, authority and cultural misunderstanding.
Beyond work
Public debate
Appeared on television and wrote essays on politics and culture.
Family and illness
Married actor Akiko Koyama; a stroke in 1996 severely affected his later working life.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Rita Molnár. CC BY-SA 2.5 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
