June 4-July 2
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Shisso Productions, the independent film company founded by influential Japanese documentarian Kazuo Hara and his wife, producer and collaborator, Sachiko Kobayashi. Widely-recognized for their compelling, complicated and deeply personal portraits of iconoclastic individuals—such as the ex-soldier Kenzo Okuzaki hellbent on exposing unspoken war crimes in their best-known film, The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On (1987)—Hara and Kobayashi have dedicated their lives to documenting the struggle between people and the powers that be. In recognition of the pair’s milestone with Shisso Productions, Japan Society presents a career-spanning online retrospective of Hara and Kobayashi’s work—from the groundbreaking debut Goodbye CP (1972) to their latest epic documentary Minamata Mandala (2020)—including their rarely screened sole narrative feature, The Many Faces of Chika (2005). Presented in partnership with Janus Films and Shisso Productions. Special thanks to Hisami Kuroiwa and Joel Neville Anderson.