The Cinema of Kinoshita Keisuke: Films of Joy and Sorrow

Kinoshita Keisuke was once thought of as the equal in importance and popularity to his colleague Ozu Yasujiro and friend Kurosawa Akira. In many ways, he was even more popular with audiences than they were, as well as being a critical favorite. He had built an overseas following with prestigious festival play and was considered an innovator for his use of color and widescreen. In addition, he was known for his cinematic depictions of the plight of women under rigid social restrictions along with his often-rebellious heroines who endured and sometimes triumphed. Yet he is much less known than his fellow filmmakers. Leading scholars from the US, Australia, the UK and Japan, relying on close analysis and numerous Japanese sources come together to redress this gap and demonstrate why Kinoshita deserves to be returned to the pantheon Japanese and world cinema.