Biography
Nagisa Ōshima (大島 渚) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He was born on 31 March 1932 and died on 15 January 2013. After studying law and politics at Kyoto University, he began working as an assistant director at Shochiku studios and made his feature debut with A Town of Love and Hope in 1959.
Ōshima directed and wrote In the Realm of the Senses (1976), an explicit drama based on a real 1930s case. His other notable films include Empire of Passion (1978), Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) and Taboo (1999). He was associated with the Japanese New Wave and often explored themes of rebellion, authority and sexuality.
He was married to actress Akiko Koyama, who appeared in several of his films. Ōshima remained active until the late 1990s despite health issues later in life.
