The Guide to Japanese Film Industry & Co -Production - UNIJAPAN

Chapter 1
Japan’s
Film
Industry
Postwar Japanese Film Industry and Development
Postwar Japanese Film Industry and Development
1. Japanese Film after World War II
By Kakeo Yoshio, Executive Director, Kinema Junpo Film Institute
The Japanese film industry after the defeat of Japan in World War II in
1945 started under the control of the General Headquarters (GHQ).
The industry was under the direct management of the Motion Picture
and Theatrical Unit of the Civil Information and Education Section in
the GHQ. Representatives of the film companies were assembled and an
announcement was made on September 22 that the underlying themes for
films were to be “abolishment of militarism,” “promotion of liberalism”
and “establishment of pacifism.”
The number of Japanese films shown in the cinemas from the day
Japan was defeated in World War II, August 15, 1945, to the end of that year
was 12 films, out of which the majority had been banned from screening
during the war as they were considered to be pro-America. The first postwar
Japanese film Soyokaze (1945; directed by: Sasaki Yasushi, starring: Sano
Shuji) was produced by Shochiku which became a great hit together with
its main theme song Ringo no uta sung by Namiki Michiko. The cinemas
at the time still showed signs of the war; the buildings were still half burnt
down with steel beams showing their faces and obviously short of seats. The
film industry, however, became a booming market and people swarmed to
the cinemas as the population increased with the returnees from China and
the demobilized veterans, as well as from the relief that the war was over.
The Japanese film industry revived rapidly as the prime entertainment
for the Japanese people. In 1951, Rashomon directed by Kurosawa Akira
won the Golden Lion (Leone d’Oro) at the Venice International Film
Festival. Japanese films were at its height in the 1950s as they won a number
of awards at the international film festivals.
title (year) film festival / award director
Rashomon (’51) Venice Film Festival / Golden Lion KUROSAWA Akira
Gate of Hell
(Jigokumon) (’54)
Cannes Film Festival / Palme d’Or KINUGASA Teinosuke
Twenty-Four Eyes Golden Globes / KINOSHITA Keisuke
(Nijushi no hitomi) (’54) Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film
Musashi Miyamoto Academy Awards / INAGAKI Hiroshi
(Miyamoto Musashi) (’55) Best Foreign Language Film
The Story of Pure Love
(Junai monogatari) (’58)
Berlin Film Festival / Best Director Award IMAI Tadashi
Rickshaw Man
(Muhomatsu no issho) (’58)
Venice Film Festival / Golden Lion INAGAKI Hiroshi
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