Japanese Film Festival 2021 Opening Night – Hokusai
Opening up the 25th Japanese Film Festival was biopic Hokusai; a film depicting the eventful life of one of Japan’s most renowned artists. Directed by Hajime Hashimoto (Another Battle/Conspiracy), Hokusai explores the painter’s inspirations, struggles and battles against society’s norms.
Set in the Edo period, when many artists’ work was considered ‘corrupt’ by the shogunate, Katsushika Hokusai is a struggling artist who is just trying to survive. Playing the artist is Yūya Yagira (Nobody Knows), who perfectly portrays the immaturity and frustration that the artist faces. It isn’t until he is discovered by the famous publisher Tsutaya Jūzaburō (played by Hiroshi Abe, Still Walking), that Hokusai is pushed to realise his potential and finds his own original art style.
Throughout the film is the underlying fear and anger against the shogunate, and the oppression they had over artists and their work. Hashimoto opens the film with a raid on the publisher’s office – in which the audience is thrown into the fray and pushed to the edges of their seats. It’s a struggle that continues throughout, even when Hokusai is well into his later years (then played by Min Tanaka), and mentoring young artists and authors; all while they work in secrecy as tensions rise.
Of course a film about Hokusai wouldn’t be complete without exploring his inspiration for his most recognisable piece, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. The film explores what defined the ukiyo-e artist throughout his career, through Hashimoto’s thorough research of his turbulent life. Being both informative and entertaining, Hokusai was a love letter to the artist and his work, which defined Japanese art throughout the ages. Hokusai screened as part of this year’s Japanese Film Festival, which is running until 5 December. Check out the program and book your tickets here.