Nagisa Oshima

Nagisa Oshima was a Japanese film director and screenwriter who was one of the leading figures of the Japanese New Wave movement in the 1960s and 1970s. He was known for his provocative and controversial films that challenged the social and political norms of postwar Japan, as well as the conventions of cinema itself. His films often dealt with themes such as sexuality, violence, racism, nationalism, and censorship. Some of his most acclaimed works include Cruel Story of Youth (1960), The Sun's Burial (1960), Night and Fog in Japan (1960), Death by Hanging (1968), In the Realm of the Senses (1976), Empire of Passion (1978), and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983). He also directed documentaries, television programs, and stage plays. He was a prolific writer and critic, and published several books and essays on film theory, history, and politics. He was also a prominent figure in the Japanese cultural scene, and was involved in various social movements and causes. He received numerous awards and honors for his work, both in Japan and internationally. He was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival four times, and won the Best Director Award there in 1978. He also received the Kinema Junpo Award, the Mainichi Film Award, the Japan Academy Prize, the FIPRESCI Prize, and the Praemium Imperiale. He was also a member of the French Legion of Honor and the Order of the Rising Sun. He died of pneumonia in 2013 at the age of 80.