Imai, Tadashi

Tadashi Imai was born in the Tokyo area of Shibuya ; his father was a priest of a Buddhist temple, who gave his son a traditional upbringing.

Studied as a historian at the University of Tokyo ^{[2] [3]} , however, during this period he also became interested in the ideas of Marxism and joined the youth communist organization; participation in radical actions led to several arrests and, in the end, deprived him of the opportunity to complete his education ^[6] . Subsequently, Tadashi Imai became a member of the Communist Party of Japan .

In 1935, Imai began acting in films as an assistant director at JO Studio , which was, at least in part, a forced measure due to the greater difficulty of getting into other places due to unreliability ^{[2] [3]} . Own directorial work began in 1939, during the Second World War, and its beginning included several custom-made films that had a nationalist orientation and contradicted the director’s own convictions.

Its first significant tapes appear after 1950, starting with the film “ And yet we live! ” Shot at the Shinsei Eyga movie studio based on the Imai . "(1951) - the first Japanese film, shot independently of large studios with large capital ^{[7] [8]} and making it famous, despite censorship and attempts to ban Imai’s work as communist propaganda, both in Japan itself and abroad , including the Soviet Union ^[9] .

Many Imai films are devoted to one or another acute social problem of the country. The above-mentioned film “But we still live!” Sympathetically talks about the fate of the unemployed, who is trying with all his might to provide his family with at least a handful of rice, condemning the modern Japanese regime ^{[9] [10]} . The three-part painting “Turbid Stream” (1953-1954) and partly “The Tale of Bushido Cruelty” (1963) show the rigidity and cruelty of the Japanese feudal system ^[8] . A number of films are anti-war.

The film “ Darkness Among the Day ” (1956) is generally an example of a cinematographer’s interference in the political struggle, exposing a real police-fabricated process to compromise young workers against four young workers accused of robbing and murdering an old married couple, and playing a decisive role in closing and releasing him unjustly accused ^[10] .

It is believed that the work of Tadashi Imai was significantly influenced by Italian neorealists, in particular, Vittorio de Sica ^[8] . At the same time, many critics noted that his work was never particularly sentimental, calling his style “ go- realism” (“realism without tears”). Imai’s creative style is often characterized as rude, devoid of consistency and “style” ^{[8] [11]} , but these are the same elements that give his films the sense of honesty, sincerity and naturalness that he is known for. The fundamentally socially oriented films of Imai are especially popular among critics and viewers who reject the aesthetic and stylistic work of the New Wave directors ^[8] .

Tadashi Imai died in 1991 in the city of Soka , shortly after completing the filming of his last film, War and Youth ^[8] .

• 1939 - "Cadet Corps in Numazu" - directorial debut ^[1]
• 1940 - The Village of Tajzinko ^[1]
• 1941 - “Your Excellency” ^[1]
• 1943 - "A group of suicide bombers on a sentinel tower" ^[1]
• 1944 - The Wrath of the Sea ^[1]
• 1946 - “Enemies of the People” ^{[2] [3]}
• 1949 - Blue Mountains
• 1950 - “ When We Meet Again ”
• 1951 - “ But still we live! » ^{[1] [2] [3]}
• 1953 - “ Monument to the Lilies ”
• 1953-1954 - “ Turbid Stream ” (3-series) ^[12]
• 1955 - " There is a source "
• 1955 - short story “The Bride from the Village” in the film “ When You Love ”
• 1956 - “ Darkness in the Middle of the Day ” (by H. Masaki) ^{[1] [2] [3]}
• 1957 - “ Rice ” or “People of Rice” ^{[2] [3]}
• 1957 - A Tale of Pure Love
• 1958 - “The Drum in the Night ”
• 1959 - “Kiku and Isamu”
• 1963 - The Tale of Bushido Cruelty
• 1964 - “Revenge” ^{[2] [3]}
• 1969-1970 - “A river without a bridge” (two, according to other sources, three-series) ^{[1] [2] [3]}
• 1971 - “Her name was O-en” (by J. O'Hara) ^{[2] [3]}
• 1976 - “Brother and Sister” ^[1]
• 1979 - "The game of education" ^[1]
• 1991 - War and Youth

Three-part film "River without a Bridge" (1969) based on the novel of the same name by Sue Sumiya was included by Japanese film critics among the top ten films of the year ^[13] . A number of Imai films have been awarded even more prestigious nominations and awards, both national and international film festivals:

Mainity Awards ^[14]

• 1947 - in the category "Best Director's Work" (for the film "Enemies of the People", 1946)
• 1951 - in the category "Best Film" (for the film "See You", 1950)
• 1954 - in the categories "Best Film" and "Best Director's Work" (for the film "Muddy Stream", 1953)
• 1957 - in the categories of "Best Film" and "Best Director's Work" (for the film "Darkness Among the Day", 1956)
• 1958 - in the categories “Best Film” (for the film “People of Rice”, 1957) and “Best Director's Work” (for “People of Rice” and “The Story of Pure Love”, 1957)
• 1960 - in the category "Best Film" (for the film "Kiku and Isamu", 1959)
• 1992 - Special Merit Award (posthumous)

Kinem Jumpo Magazine Awards ^[14]

• 1951 - in the category "Best Film" (for "See You", 1950)
• 1954 - in the category "Best Film" (for "Turbid Stream", 1953)
• 1957 - in the categories of "Best Film" and "Best Director's Work" (for "Darkness Among the Day", 1956)
• 1958 - in the categories “Best Film” and “Best Director's Work” (for “People of Rice”, 1957)
• 1960 - in the categories of “Best Film” and “Best Director's Work” (for “Kiku and Isamu”, 1959)

Blue Ribbon Awards ^[14]

• 1951 - in the categories “Best Film” and “Best Director's Work” (for “See You”, 1950) ^[15]
• 1954 - in the categories of "Best Film" (for "Turbid Stream", 1953) and "Best Director's Work" (for the film "Himeyuri Tower", 1953) ^[16]
• 1957 - in the categories of "Best Film" and "Best Director's Work" (for "Darkness Among the Day", 1956) ^[17]
• 1958 - in the categories “Best Film” (for the film “People of Rice”, 1957) and “Best Director's Work” (for “People of Rice” and “The Story of Pure Love”, 1957) ^[18]
• 1960 - in the category “Best Film” (for “Kiku and Isamu”, 1959) ^[19]

Cannes Film Festival ^[14]

• 1954 - Nomination for the Grand Prix of the festival (for "Turbid Stream" / Nigorie , 1953) ^[20]
• 1957 - Nomination for the Golden Palm Branch (for People of Rice / Kage , 1957) ^[21]

Berlin International Film Festival ^[14]

• 1958 - Nomination of the film "A Tale of Pure Love" ( Jun'ai monogatari , 1957) for "The Golden Bear "

“ Silver Bear for the best directorial work” (for the same film) ^[22]

• 1963 - The Golden Bear of the film The Tale of Bushido Cruelty (Bushido zankoku monogatari, 1963) ^[23]

Japan Academy Prize

• 1992 - Special prize for achievements in life (posthumous) ^{[14] [24]}

Nikkan Sports Film Award

• 1991 - Special Award in the aggregate of merit (posthumous) ^[14]

Montreal International Film Festival

• 1991 - World Jury Prize (for the film "War and Youth", 1991) ^[14]

• Tadashi Imai (Japanese) on the Japanese Movie Database .
• Joan Mellen. Voices from the Japanese Cinema. - Liveright, 1975 .-- 295 p.
• Audie Bock Japanese film directors. - Kodansha International, 1985 .-- 378 p.
• Inna Jens. Challenging: Japanese filmmakers 60-70 years . - "Art", 1988. - S. 19. - 271 p.
• Georges Sadoul, Peter Morris. Dictionary of Film Makers / Sandra Buckley (Ed.). - Berkeley & Los Angeles CA: University of California Press, 2002 .-- P. 122. - 288 p. - ISBN 0-520-02151-7 .