Kenji Mizoguchi
Kenji Mizoguchi (1898–1956) was a Japanese director regarded as one of the great masters of classical Japanese cinema. From the silent era through the early 1950s he directed more than eighty films, refining a style built around long takes, gliding camera movement, and a deep sympathy for women caught in feudal and patriarchal systems. He won prizes at the Venice Film Festival three years running in the early 1950s, helping bring Japanese cinema to international audiences. His acclaimed films include The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums, The Life of Oharu, Ugetsu, Sansho the Bailiff, and Street of Shame.