![]() Before Ninagawa was a director, she was (and continues to release work as) a well-established photographer, rising to prominence in the 1990s as part of the Onnanoko Shashin movement of photography, a movement defined by young female photographers who took images of the personal and everyday, often through a point-and-shoot style of photography. To discuss Mika Ninagawa’s filmography and what makes her work not just unique but engaging to watch, you don’t start with her directorial debut. Ahead of the release of Followers on February 27th, I chose to dive into Mika Ninagawa’s body of work to explore what her releases are trying to say and why they’re worth checking out. I’ve been meaning to check out her other works ever since, both inside and outside of the world of film, so the news recently that the director would be following up on her work on the film No Longer Human with a web series for Netflix seemed like a perfect excuse to dive in. The movie stuck in my mind ever since and, even if it was flawed in places, it stood apart for how it avoided the easy utilization style over substance, using this unique visual language to contribute to the story being told. ![]() ![]() The visually saturated and artistic set, together with a fashion forward take on traditional costumes, created stunning and vivid imagery in a highly celebrated film that brought to life a story of the feminine soul.Last year, I was introduced to the bright, neon-filled, colorful worlds created at the hands of Japanese director Mika Ninagawa through the release of her then-newest film, Diner. The main character is portrayed by actress and musician Anna Tsuchiya, while Sheena Ringo took on the role of the Music Director. Set against the backdrop of the Yoshiwara Yuukaku (a famous red light district) in the Edo period, it tells of the story of a girl who overcame her own weaknesses to rise up as one of the most unique and vibrant Oiran (courtsans) of her time. Originally by hugely popular manga artist Moyoko Anno, Sakuran is a live action movie adaptation of the namesake comic series. The key message of the film – to think with one’s own mind and to live strongly with integrity – has resonated with many young people across social media, and subsequently led to an extended screening of the film. A girl with a hollowness in her heart and who finds that she belongs to nowhere, is thrust into a series of attacks where she must struggle to find her will to live. Top creatives and artists such as Tadanori Yokoo, Makoto Azuma and Kohei Nawa have also lent a hand to the production of the film. Former murderer and genius chef, portrayed by Tatsuya Fujiwara, along with a waitress portrayed by newcomer Tina Tamashiro, come together with a group of fantastical assassins in a diner. To tackle the difficult task of “creating a film without age restrictions”, Ninagawa employed creative tactics true to form, such as replacing blood splashes with red rose petals, and using rain and cherry blossoms as a backdrop for a battle scene. The movie opens 13 September, 2019.ĭiner, originally a novel by Yumeaki Hirayama, had been deemed impossible to depict as a film due to its radical content. Jun Miyake, one of music’s greatest masters, joins the team in this star-filled ensemble. ![]() With undeniable appeal, charisma and talent, Osamu Dazai played by Oguri Shun, becomes entangled with three women in his life his wife played by Rie Miyazawa, the mistress played by Erika Sawajiri, and a heartfelt companion portrayed by Fumi Nikaido. In contrast to the novel, this dramatic movie portrays the women as strong and robust characters exuding fresh and alluring beauty. With a wife and child in tow, Dazai finds himself flung into romances and multiple suicide attempts, the women involved ultimately wanting to fulfill their own selfish desires. Written from the perspective of three women involved with him, Dazai skilfully depicts how the idea of losing one’s humanity is born. ![]() Ningenshikkaku (No Longer Human, published in 1948), completed shortly before the author’s death, is one of top Japanese fiction writer Osamu Dazai’s best-selling works, accumulating record sales of 12 millions copies. ![]()
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