Original title: Saikaku ichidai onna
Directed by the legendary Kenji Mizoguchi, The Life of Oharu is a masterpiece of Japanese cinema and a definitive work of world realism. It is a sweeping, tragic epic that examines the social rigidity of the Edo period through the lens of one woman’s long, heartbreaking decline.
Directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa, One Wonderful Sunday is a poignant example of Japanese post-war “shomin-geki” (realist films about the working class). Drawing inspiration from the neo-realist movement and the humanistic comedies of Frank Capra, Kurosawa crafts a story that is both a heartbreaking look at poverty and a resilient celebration of the human spirit.