Sumie Sasaki

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Pitfall (1962)

A man wanders into a seemingly deserted town with his young son in search of work. But after a bit of bad luck, he joins the town's population of lost souls.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Teshigahara
CAST:  Hisashi Igawa  •  Sumie Sasaki  •  Sen Yano  •  Hideo Kanze

A man wanders into a seemingly deserted town with his young son in search of work. But after a bit of bad luck, he joins the town's population of lost souls.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Hiroshi Teshigahara
CAST:  Hisashi Igawa  •  Sumie Sasaki  •  Sen Yano  •  Hideo Kanze

The Insect Woman (1963)

A woman, Tome, is born to a lower class family in Japan in 1918. The title refers to an insect, repeating its mistakes, as in an infinite circle. Imamura, with this metaphor, introduces the life of Tome, who keeps trying to change her poor life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shōhei Imamura
CAST:  Emiko Aizawa  •  Masumi Harukawa  •  Sachiko Hidari  •  Emiko Higashi

A woman, Tome, is born to a lower class family in Japan in 1918. The title refers to an insect, repeating its mistakes, as in an infinite circle. Imamura, with this metaphor, introduces the life of Tome, who keeps trying to change her poor life.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Shōhei Imamura
CAST:  Emiko Aizawa  •  Masumi Harukawa  •  Sachiko Hidari  •  Emiko Higashi

A Full Life (1962)

A woman becomes dissatisfied with her marriage and joins a political theater troupe to protest the U.S. Security Pact.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Susumu Hani
CAST:  Ineko Arima  •  Takahiro Tamura  •  Toyozō Yamamoto  •  Kaori Shima

A woman becomes dissatisfied with her marriage and joins a political theater troupe to protest the U.S. Security Pact.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Susumu Hani
CAST:  Ineko Arima  •  Takahiro Tamura  •  Toyozō Yamamoto  •  Kaori Shima

Bakayaro! I'm Plenty Mad (1988)

Anthology film. "What's Wrong with Eating?" Numayama Kazuki is always complaining about his wife's, Atsugi Shizuka, body shape. Because of that Shizuka tries her best to restrict her diet and please Kazuki. "It's So Far Away!" Karuma Sae is an office lady who ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukihiko Tsutsumi  •  Tetsuya Nakashima  •  Takahito Hara  •  Eri Watanabe
CAST:  Haruko Sagara  •  Tsuyoshi Ihara  •  Narumi Yasuda  •  Yasuo Daichi

Anthology film. "What's Wrong with Eating?" Numayama Kazuki is always complaining about his wife's, Atsugi Shizuka, body shape. Because of that Shizuka tries her best to restrict her diet and please Kazuki. "It's So Far Away!" Karuma Sae is an office lady who ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yukihiko Tsutsumi  •  Tetsuya Nakashima  •  Takahito Hara  •  Eri Watanabe
CAST:  Haruko Sagara  •  Tsuyoshi Ihara  •  Narumi Yasuda  •  Yasuo Daichi

Spring Bell (1985)

Narumi Rokuheita and his wife Noriko spend their lives separated. Soon they start looking for love elsewhere.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Koreyoshi Kurahara
CAST:  Kinya Kitaoji  •  Yoshiko Mita  •  Eiji Okada  •  Kyôko Kishida

Narumi Rokuheita and his wife Noriko spend their lives separated. Soon they start looking for love elsewhere.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Koreyoshi Kurahara
CAST:  Kinya Kitaoji  •  Yoshiko Mita  •  Eiji Okada  •  Kyôko Kishida

Farewell to the Land (1982)

Yukio is an ex-farmer working as a dump-truck driver in Kashima. Haunted by the drowning of his two young sons, whose names he has had tattooed on his back in penance, and locked in a sibling rivalry with his traditional but urbane younger brother who lives in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mitsuo Yanagimachi
CAST:  Jinpachi Nezu  •  Kumiko Akiyoshi  •  Jirô Chiba  •  Miyako Yamaguchi

Yukio is an ex-farmer working as a dump-truck driver in Kashima. Haunted by the drowning of his two young sons, whose names he has had tattooed on his back in penance, and locked in a sibling rivalry with his traditional but urbane younger brother who lives in ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mitsuo Yanagimachi
CAST:  Jinpachi Nezu  •  Kumiko Akiyoshi  •  Jirô Chiba  •  Miyako Yamaguchi

Sayonara Midori-chan (2005)

Naive office girl Yuko supports her blithe big city lifestyle with a part-time job at a neighborhood cafe. Attracted to her manager there, the shallow but charming Yutaka, she willingly succumbs to his lascivious advances only to discover afterward that he already ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tomoyuki Furumaya
CAST:  Mari Hoshino  •  Sayuri Oyamada  •  Hidetoshi Nishijima  •  Mayuko Iwasa

Naive office girl Yuko supports her blithe big city lifestyle with a part-time job at a neighborhood cafe. Attracted to her manager there, the shallow but charming Yutaka, she willingly succumbs to his lascivious advances only to discover afterward that he already ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tomoyuki Furumaya
CAST:  Mari Hoshino  •  Sayuri Oyamada  •  Hidetoshi Nishijima  •  Mayuko Iwasa

Lonely Heart (1981)

A police procedural surrounding murder at a bookstore and the private lives of the cops trying to solve the case.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kon Ichikawa
CAST:  Toshiyuki Nagashima  •  Rie Nakahara  •  Kei Tani  •  Yutaka Mizutani

A police procedural surrounding murder at a bookstore and the private lives of the cops trying to solve the case.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kon Ichikawa
CAST:  Toshiyuki Nagashima  •  Rie Nakahara  •  Kei Tani  •  Yutaka Mizutani

One Million Yen Girl (2008)

A 21-year-old girl is released from prison, only to deal with the neighborhood gossip about her and family conflicts. She decides to save one million yen, move to where no one knows her and keep repeating the process.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yuki Tanada
CAST:  Yu Aoi  •  Pierre Taki  •  Terunosuke Takezai  •  Ryusei Saito

A 21-year-old girl is released from prison, only to deal with the neighborhood gossip about her and family conflicts. She decides to save one million yen, move to where no one knows her and keep repeating the process.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yuki Tanada
CAST:  Yu Aoi  •  Pierre Taki  •  Terunosuke Takezai  •  Ryusei Saito

The Serialist (2013)

Ippei Akabane (Takaya Kamikawa) is an unpopular novelist. He barely makes ends meet writing serials novels under different pen names. Daigo Kurei (Shinji Takeda) is on death row. He killed four women twelve years ago. During his murdering spree, he sent pictures of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nobuaki Izaki
CAST:  Takaya Kamikawa  •  Shinji Takeda  •  Nana Katase  •  Aya Hirayama

Ippei Akabane (Takaya Kamikawa) is an unpopular novelist. He barely makes ends meet writing serials novels under different pen names. Daigo Kurei (Shinji Takeda) is on death row. He killed four women twelve years ago. During his murdering spree, he sent pictures of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Nobuaki Izaki
CAST:  Takaya Kamikawa  •  Shinji Takeda  •  Nana Katase  •  Aya Hirayama

Miyuki (1983)

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DIRECTION:  Kazuyuki Izutsu
CAST:  Masatoshi Nagase  •  Yukari Usami  •  Hiroko Mita  •  Daisuke Shima

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DIRECTION:  Kazuyuki Izutsu
CAST:  Masatoshi Nagase  •  Yukari Usami  •  Hiroko Mita  •  Daisuke Shima

Like a Savage (1985)

Young writer Tamako, who is wrongfully accused of killing the head yakuza, must find a way out of trouble.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tōru Kawashima
CAST:  Hiroko Yakushimaru  •  Kyôhei Shibata  •  Michiko Kawai  •  Yosuke Tagawa

Young writer Tamako, who is wrongfully accused of killing the head yakuza, must find a way out of trouble.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tōru Kawashima
CAST:  Hiroko Yakushimaru  •  Kyôhei Shibata  •  Michiko Kawai  •  Yosuke Tagawa

Tales of Terror: Haunted Apartment (2005)

Aimi and her father move into an old, apartment building and learn quickly that things are not as they seem.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akio Yoshida
CAST:  Mei Kurokawa  •  Yoshihiko Hosoda  •  Yūta Sone  •  Ayaka Maeda

Aimi and her father move into an old, apartment building and learn quickly that things are not as they seem.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Akio Yoshida
CAST:  Mei Kurokawa  •  Yoshihiko Hosoda  •  Yūta Sone  •  Ayaka Maeda

The Life of Chikuzan (1977)

A 1977 Japanese biographical film directed by Kaneto Shindo based on the life of shamisen player Takahashi Chikuzan.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kaneto Shindō
CAST:  Ryūzō Hayashi  •  Nobuko Otowa  •  Mitsuko Baisho  •  Dai Kanai

A 1977 Japanese biographical film directed by Kaneto Shindo based on the life of shamisen player Takahashi Chikuzan.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kaneto Shindō
CAST:  Ryūzō Hayashi  •  Nobuko Otowa  •  Mitsuko Baisho  •  Dai Kanai

Miniature (1953)

Ginko, a poor cobbler's daughter, becomes a geisha to support her family. She passes from one geisha house to the next, trying to find love and hope in the process. No matter how hard she tries, she just can't escape her sad fate.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kaneto Shindō
CAST:  Nobuko Otowa  •  Sumiko Hidaka  •  Isuzu Yamada  •  Sō Yamamura

Ginko, a poor cobbler's daughter, becomes a geisha to support her family. She passes from one geisha house to the next, trying to find love and hope in the process. No matter how hard she tries, she just can't escape her sad fate.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kaneto Shindō
CAST:  Nobuko Otowa  •  Sumiko Hidaka  •  Isuzu Yamada  •  Sō Yamamura

1778 Stories of Me and My Wife (2011)

Sci-fi writer Sakutaro (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) and bank employee Setsuko (Yuko Takeuchi) met at as high school freshmen during their summer vacation. Since that time, the couple has always been together and eventually married.One day, Setsuko complains of a stomach ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mamoru Hoshi
CAST:  Yûko Takeuchi  •  Tsuyoshi Kusanagi  •  Ren Osugi  •  Shosuke Tanihara

Sci-fi writer Sakutaro (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) and bank employee Setsuko (Yuko Takeuchi) met at as high school freshmen during their summer vacation. Since that time, the couple has always been together and eventually married.One day, Setsuko complains of a stomach ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mamoru Hoshi
CAST:  Yûko Takeuchi  •  Tsuyoshi Kusanagi  •  Ren Osugi  •  Shosuke Tanihara

Yearning (1993)

Famed onnagata (a man who plays women's parts in Kabuki) Tamasaburo Bando follows up on the success of his directorial debut, Gekashitsu, with this soft-focused romance about love and obligation, based on a novel by Kafu Nagai. Set during the Meiji period ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tamasaburo Bando
CAST:  Sayuri Yoshinaga  •  Kyoko Kataoka  •  Kirin Kiki  •  Toshiyuki Nagashima

Famed onnagata (a man who plays women's parts in Kabuki) Tamasaburo Bando follows up on the success of his directorial debut, Gekashitsu, with this soft-focused romance about love and obligation, based on a novel by Kafu Nagai. Set during the Meiji period ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tamasaburo Bando
CAST:  Sayuri Yoshinaga  •  Kyoko Kataoka  •  Kirin Kiki  •  Toshiyuki Nagashima

Bad Girl (1963)

Wakae is a 15 year old girl who lived under the same roof with her alcoholic father and stepmom. Her mother had died years ago. She spends her nights at a rundown bar, sharing drinks and cigarettes with the lowlife drunks. She has nowhere to turn and no one to talk ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kirio Urayama
CAST:  Masako Izumi  •  Mitsuo Hamada  •  Toshio Sugiyama  •  Jun Hamamura

Wakae is a 15 year old girl who lived under the same roof with her alcoholic father and stepmom. Her mother had died years ago. She spends her nights at a rundown bar, sharing drinks and cigarettes with the lowlife drunks. She has nowhere to turn and no one to talk ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kirio Urayama
CAST:  Masako Izumi  •  Mitsuo Hamada  •  Toshio Sugiyama  •  Jun Hamamura

Miracle in Four Days (2005)

Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World" wafts through a hospice recreation room. Sitting at the grand piano is a young girl, Chiori, with a prodigious ability to play any piece of music after one hearing. Keisuke Kisaragi whose career was abruptly cut short ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kiyoshi Sasabe
CAST:  Mitsuru Hirata  •  Renji Ishibashi  •  Yuriko Ishida  •  Ayako Kobayashi

Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World" wafts through a hospice recreation room. Sitting at the grand piano is a young girl, Chiori, with a prodigious ability to play any piece of music after one hearing. Keisuke Kisaragi whose career was abruptly cut short ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Kiyoshi Sasabe
CAST:  Mitsuru Hirata  •  Renji Ishibashi  •  Yuriko Ishida  •  Ayako Kobayashi

Patisserie Coin De Rue (2011)

A disillusioned Natsume arrives at Coin de Rue, a popular Tokyo pastry shop, begging for work. Aiming to become a high-calibre pastry chef, she is determined to overcome both her past and the challenges ahead. Pastry critic Tomura is a frequent visitor to Coin de ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshihiro Fukagawa
CAST:  Yosuke Eguchi  •  Yu Aoi  •  Noriko Eguchi  •  Keiko Toda

A disillusioned Natsume arrives at Coin de Rue, a popular Tokyo pastry shop, begging for work. Aiming to become a high-calibre pastry chef, she is determined to overcome both her past and the challenges ahead. Pastry critic Tomura is a frequent visitor to Coin de ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Yoshihiro Fukagawa
CAST:  Yosuke Eguchi  •  Yu Aoi  •  Noriko Eguchi  •  Keiko Toda
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