Seijun Suzuki, the wildcard of Nikkatsu

An iconoclastic Japanese filmmaker, Seijun Suzuki debuted his career at Nikkatsu in the 1950s, where he directed some forty films and made a breakthrough in genre cinema thanks to his innovative style. An artist with a cult following, he is regarded today as one of the great revolutionaries of cinematic language. Many major names in global cinema have laid claim to his legacy, including Quentin Tarantino, Wong Kar-wai, Takeshi Kitano and Jim Jarmusch.

In collaboration with Carlotta Films.

Screenings

Gate of Flesh by Seijun Suzuki (Nikutai no mon, 1964, 1h30, int -12ans)
Maya (Yumiko Nogawa) joins a group of prostitutes in a Tokyo slum. The arrival of an ex-soldier on the run could endanger their unity... The filmmaker transcends the storyline with inventive and erotically-charged direction.
UGC Confluence Mon13 9.15pm | UGC Confluence Fri17 9.45pm | Pathé Bellecour Sat18 4.15pm

Story of a Prostitute by Seijun Suzuki (Shunpu den, 1965, 1h36)
During the war between China and Japan, Harumi (Yumiko Nogawa), a prostitute on the battlefront, becomes the target of an officer's cruelty... The bleak reality is led by a headstrong character who dares to express her desire and her revolt.
Institut Lumière (Hangar) Sat11 5.15pm | Institut Lumière (Villa) Sat18 7.45pm

Carmen from Kawachi by Seijun Suzuki (Kawachi Karumen, 1966, 1h29)
Fleeing the countryside, Tsuyuko moves to Osaka and becomes a hostess in a nightclub... The third opus of this thoroughly modern trilogy paints a portrait of Japanese women. Yumiko Nogawa continues to play the protagonist, inspired by Bizet.
Institut Lumière (Hangar) Tue14 10pm | Institut Lumière (Villa) Sun19 4.15pm

Tokyo Drifter by Seijun Suzuki (Tokyo nagaremono, 1966, 1h23)
Yakuza figure Tetsuya Hondo (Tetsuya Watari) finds himself in a situation when his clan has decided to cease all operations. He is approached by a rival clan but declines their offer, leading him to focus on escaping retaliation... An unclassifiable, avant-garde picture with a truly experimental edge.
Pathé Bellecour Sun12 9.15pm | Institut Lumière (Villa) Fri17 9.15pm

Branded to Kill by Seijun Suzuki (Koroshi no rakuin, 1967, 1h32)
Goro Hanada, ranked third in Tokyo's hitman hierarchy, finds himself facing off against the number one assassin... A thriller set in a phantasmal Tokyo, Suzuki’s influence looms large over the œuvre of Tarantino, Kitano and Jarmusch.
Institut Lumière (Hangar) Mon13 10pm | Lumière Terreaux Wed15 10pm | UGC Confluence Thu16 7pm