The Chrysanthemum And The Guillotine
- Wednesday, May 29, 21:45 Mousonturm Saal
- 菊とギロチン
Kiku to girochin - Japan 2018, 189 min, Japanese with English subtitles
- Director & script: Takahisa ZEZE
- Production: “The Chrysanthemum and the Guillotine” Project
- Camera: Atsuhiro NABESHIMA
- World sales: Free Stone
- Cast: Mai KIRYU, Hanae KAN, Masahiro HIGASHIDE, Kanichiro, Kiyohiko SHIBUKAWA
- German premiere in the presence of the actor Kiyohiko SHIBUKAWA
- Competition Nippon Cinema Award
Believe it or not, but until the early 20th century, women’s sumo enjoyed immense popularity in Japan. At the same time, left-wing political violence from justice-seeking radicals contributed to heightened political instability. In his energetic period drama, Takahisa ZEZE combines the story of young Tomoyo, who ran away from her abusive husband, with an unflinching analysis of social inequalities in 1920s Japan.
Director's Bio
Born in Oita Prefecture in 1960, Takahisa ZEZE began shooting 8 and 16mm films during his studies at Kyoto University. After his graduation, he started working for Shishi Productions, debuting with the pink film GOOD LUCK JAPAN (1989) and establishing himself as one of the leading directors of the pink film genre during the 1990s. He wrote numerous scripts under various pseudonyms and also started to work in other genres. His film HEAVEN’S STORY (NC ‘11) won the NETPAC Award at the 2011 Berlinale, while the two-part mystery drama 64 was one of the box office hits of the year 2016 in Japan.
