Mizoguchi Kenji

Born May 16, 1898, in Tokyo; died Aug. 24, 1956, in Kyoto. Japanese film director.

Mizoguchi graduated from an art school in Tokyo. In 1922 he made his debut with the film The Day When Love Returns. In the 1920’s, Mizoguchi showed an interest in social topics. The conflict between traditional and modern values became the main theme of his work. The films Osaka Elegy (1936) and Sisters of the Gion (1936), which dealt with the life of the Japanese woman, were the greatest achievements in realism of the prewar Japanese cinema.

Among Mizoguchi’s best works were The Life of O’Haru (1952), Ugetsu Monogatari (1953), and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). A number of Mizoguchi’s films received prizes at the International Film Festival in Venice (1952, 1953, 1954).