NFAJ: KIJU YOSHIDA RETROSPECTIVE
Rediscovering a Japanese Avant-Garde Pioneer
Venue(s): National Film Archive of JapanOctober 29 (Tue) - November 3 (Sun), 2024
Language: All films are with English subtitles
Official website: bit.ly/4eHQ0VT
Theater website: bit.ly/47NfZJ6
Theater website: www.nfaj.go.jp/english/
Theater website: www.nfaj.go.jp/english/visit/access/
Tariff: General: ￥1,300, University/high school students, seniors (65 or over): ￥1,100, Elementary, junior high school students: ￥900, Visitors with disabilities (one accompanying person) and campus members: ￥800
Advance tickets: Go to the schedule 3 days in advance of the screening for specific titles: https://bit.ly/47NfZJ6
Title: 映画監督 吉田喜重 (Eiga Kantoku Yoshida Kiju)
Director: Kiju Yoshida (吉田喜重)
As part of a collaboration with the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), the National Film Archive Japan (NFAJ) is hosting a special screening of works by Kiju Yoshida (1933-2022), a prominent figure in the Shochiku Nouvelle Vague who went on to create groundbreaking films that defined the Japanese avant-garde, many starring his wife, Mariko Okada, including Eros + Massacre (1970). This retrospective is long overdue, and to see this many of the auteur’s films with English subtitles —10 narrative films and 3 documentaries — makes it a Must See event, as TIFF/NFAJ Classics aims “to spark renewed interest in Yoshida’s films both in Japan and abroad.”
Kiju (Yoshishige) Yoshida studied French literature at the University of Tokyo before entering Shochiku studio in 1955, where he first worked as an assistant to Keisuke Kinoshita before making his own directorial debut in 1960 with Rokudenashi (Good-for-Nothing). With his colleagues Nagisa Oshima and Masahiro Shinoda, he became a central figure in the emerging Shochiku Nouvelle Vague. But Yoshida felt restricted under the studio system, and when Shochiku re-edited his Escape from Japan (1964), he left to start his own production company. While not terribly prolific, the director made every film count.
His international reputation grew with the release of Eros + Massacre in France in 1969 (before its 1970 Japanese release), and A Promise was shown in the Un Certain Regard section of the 1986 Cannes Film Festival, after which his Wuthering Heights competed for the Golden Palm at the 1988 Festival.
Because viewings are so rare, we recommend that you try to see any and all of them. Here are capsule descriptions of the lineup:
GOOD-FOR-NOTHING, ろくでなし
October 29 (Tue), 2024, 15:00
GOOD-FOR-NOTHING, ろくでなし
1960, 88 min, 35mm, B&W, English subtitles
©1960Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Four aimless university students rebel against societal norms by playing antisocial games. But their differing backgrounds create tension, and their relationships take a dark turn. Shot entirely with a single 75mm lens, Yoshida’s aptly-named debut is a critique of superficiality.
BLOODY THIRST, 血は渇いてる
October 30 (Wed), 2024, 15:00
BLOODY THIRST, 血は渇いてる
1960, 87 min, 35mm, B&W
©1960Shochiku Co., Ltd.
A failed suicide by an employee protesting downsizing leads to unexpected fame (shades of viral antics). This biting critique of corporate exploitation challenges the humanism of contemporary Japanese cinema.
LOVE AFFAIR AT AKITSU SPA, 秋津温泉
October 29 (Tue), 2024, 18:15
LOVE AFFAIR AT AKITSU SPA, 秋津温泉
1962, 112 min, 35mm, Color
©1962Shochiku Co., Ltd.
A passionate drama about a soldier and an innkeeper’s daughter, set against Japan's postwar landscape, this film spans 17 years and marks Mariko Okada’s 100th screen appearance and her first collaboration with Yoshida (soon to become her husband).
18 ROUGHS, 嵐を呼ぶ十八人
October 30 (Wed), 2024, 19:00
18 ROUGHS, 嵐を呼ぶ十八人
1963, 109 min, 35mm, B&W
©1963 Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Eighteen young workers struggle in harsh conditions at a shipyard. The film highlights the absurdity of their labor and critiques social-issue films of the era.
THE AFFAIR, 情炎
October 31 (Thu), 2024, 15:00
THE AFFAIR, 情炎
1967, 93 min, 35mm, B&W
©1967Shochiku Co., Ltd.
Oriko, trapped in a loveless marriage, reconnects with a previous lover. This is a visually stunning exploration of desire and relationships, highlighting Yoshida’s recurring themes of sexuality.
IMPASSE, 炎と女
October 31 (Thu), 2024, 19:00
IMPASSE, 炎と女
1967, 101 min, 35mm, B&W
©1967Shochiku Co., Ltd.
This film questions the traditional family dynamic, asking what if parental rights belonged solely to the mother in cases of artificial insemination. It also showcases Yoshida’s evolving visual style.
EROS + MASSACRE, エロス＋虐殺
November 2 (Sat), 2024, 15:00
EROS + MASSACRE, エロス＋虐殺
1970, 165 min, 35mm, B&W
©Gendai Eigasha
This highly controversial but acclaimed film solidified Yoshida’s international reputation and continues to attract new admirers. Deploying a dual narrative, it interweaves the story of real-life anarchist Sakae Osugi’s tumultuous love life with the story of two contemporary students doing research on the political theories and free-love ideas that he espoused.
COUP D’ÉTAT, 戒厳令
November 1 (Fri), 2024, 15:00
COUP D’ÉTAT, 戒厳令
1973, 110 min, 35mm, B&W
©Gendai Eigasha
A gripping portrayal of Ikki Kita’s life, the mastermind behind the February 26 Incident, in which a group of young Imperial Japanese Army officers attempted a coup d'état in 1936. Yoshida’s critique of modern Japanese history marked his last feature film for over a decade.
THE STORY OF BIG 1: SADAHARU OH; BIG1物語 王貞治
November 3 (Sun), 2024, 12:00
THE STORY OF BIG 1: SADAHARU OH; BIG1物語 王貞治
1977, 86 min, 35mm, Color
This documentary tells the story of Sadaharu Oh’s 756th home run through historical footage and interviews, exploring the ambiguity of fame.
A PROMISE, 人間の約束
November 1 (Fri), 2024, 18:15
A PROMISE, 人間の約束
1986, 123 min, 35mm, Color
©Seibu Saison Group, TV Assahi, Kinema Tokyo
A man confesses to killing his dementia-stricken wife, leading to turmoil within the family. Yoshida’s return to feature films after a long hiatus won him the Silver Shell Award at the 1986 San Sebastián International Film Festival.
WOMEN IN THE MIRROR, 鏡の女たち
November 3 (Sun), 2024, 15:50
WOMEN IN THE MIRROR, 鏡の女たち
2003, 129 min, 35mm, Color
Yoshida’s final feature examines the legacy of Hiroshima, exploring themes of memory, water, and mirrors in his signature style, making viewers question their own understanding of the past.
AICHI FOLK PERFORMING ARTS, 愛知の民俗芸能
November 2 (Sat), 2024, 12:30 PM
Total 60 min, BD, Color
- HOLY FESTIVALS, SPIRIT OF PERFORMANCE, 聖なる祭り, 1992
A documentary showcasing traditional Aichi festivals, such as Shingenbara’s Fire Dance and Owari Okunitama Shrine’s Naoi Ritual, where ancestral spirit worship transforms into performance.
- URBAN FESTIVALS, JOY OF PERFORMANCE, 芸能する歓び, 1993
An exploration of Aichi’s lively urban festivals, including Chita’s Manzai and the Arimatsu Floats Festival, highlighting the joyful spirit of the matsuri tradition.
National Film Archive of Japan
Please be sure to check with the theater before going.