Yet Shohei Imamura, ever the cinematic “entomologist,” refuses to make a victim of her, instead observing Tomé (played by the extraordinary Sachiko Hidari) as a fascinating, pragmatic creature of twentieth-century Japan.

Directed by Shohei Imamura, "The Insect Woman" is a rambunctious tragicomedy that pauses occasionally long enough for the characters to catch their breath. A very dark crime comedy. A portrait of opportunism and resilience in three generations of women, THE INSECT WOMAN is Imamura’s most expansive film, and Tomé his ultimate heroine. A real gem from Imamura. In a poor 19th century rural Japanese village, everyone who reaches the age of 70 has to climb a nearby mountain to die. Tome becomes a neighbor's mistress, works at his mill as World War II rages, and has a daughter. Was this review helpful to you? An old woman is getting close to the cut-off age, and we follow her last days with her family. It was entered into the 14th Berlin International Film Festival where Sachiko Hidari won the Silver Bear for Best Actress award. `The Insect Woman` - Interview with Shohei Imamura - YouTube A businessman kills his adulterous wife and is sent to prison.

12 of 12 people found this review helpful. A young hoodlum decides to work for a criminal organization that is tearing itself apart. Thrust into the cold world at age 20, the pregnant Tome takes a factory job. She gives this up for the relative comfort of the life of an American GI's mistress. Or will the mice scamper over her? A woman, Tome, is born to a lower class family in Japan in 1918. Chuji, her father, dotes on her; her mother is less faithful. A rumbunctious and ribald tale of a troupe of travelling actors who alternate highlights of kabuki theatre with strip shows. Mark Cousins is a critic and filmmaker based in Edinburgh.“I thought my take on a top-ten list might be to simply quote myself from the brief fan letters I periodically write to the Criterion Collection team.” His selections were, unsurprisingly, delightful.Get info about new releases, essays and interviews on the Current, Top 10 lists, and sales. With these three films, Imamura had established himself as a director with a strong and unique vision, and one of the leading figures of the Japanese New Wave. This month we will screen Shohei Imamura’s portrait of a poor woman’s life in rural early-20th-century Japan. Born in a rural farming village in 1918, Tomé survives decades of Japanese social upheaval, as well as abuse and servitude at the hands of various men. Usually in films dealing with the Post War Japan the father takes a back seat by being completely abolished from the collective conscious of Japanese society, However in Shohei Imamura masterpiece, The Insect Woman, the death of the father is lamented and his ghost lingers. Tome is born into poverty in rural Japan, in the late 1910s.

You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The story of the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing, based on Masuji Ibuse's novel. The Insect Woman (にっぽん昆虫記, Nippon Konchūki, lit.

Yet Shohei Imamura, ever the cinematic “entomologist,” refuses to make a victim of her, instead observing Tomé (played by the extraordinary Sachiko Hidari) as a fascinating, pragmatic creature of twentieth-century Japan. Yet Shohei Imamura, ever the cinematic “entomologist,” refuses to make a victi...This twenty-one minute interview with Shohei Imamura was conducted by film critic Tadao Sato.This interview with film critic Tony Rayns was conducted in December 2008. Imamura Shohei, The Insect Woman, Intentions of Murder, post-war occupation: Organisation(s) ACE Dept of Arts & Cultural Industries You might also like.