Sakuran
Sold into a brothel within the Yoshiwara red light district of 18th century Edo as a young girl, rebellious Kiyoha (Anna Tsuchiya, Kamikaze Girls) rises through the ranks over the years despite herself and becomes next in line as oiran (head courtesan) while keeping a constant eye on finding a way out. Distinguished by its bold visual style—replete with gorgeous candy-colored sets and flashy period costumes—Sakuran is a kaleidoscopic tour de force and the feature film debut by celebrated art photographer Mika Ninagawa, who makes the most of her knack for eye-catching compositions. Adapted from the popular manga by Moyoco Anno and featuring a memorably vibrant soundtrack by renowned musician Ringo Sheena.
“★★★★★” —The Japan Times
Note: This feature is soft-subtitled. Please click on the “CC” button in the lower-right corner of the player to enable English subtitles
Streaming in the U.S. from February 5-25 as part of 21st Century Japan: Films from 2001-2020