"Shohei Imamura was born in Tokyo on September 1926. His father was a doctor. At the end of the war, Imamura began his studies at the University of Waseda where he spent five years learning western history. His interests at school also centered around theatre. Writing his own plays, the actors who worked with him then would later appear in his films like Shoichi Ozawa, Kazuo Kitamura, Takeshi Kato.
In 1951, he began working at the Shochiku Studios as assistant director to Yasujiro Ozu, Masaki Kobayashi and Yoshitaro Normura.
In 1954, he switched studios, joining Nikkatsu Studios where he became Yuzo Kawashima's co-writer and assistant of So Yamamura and Kinuyo Tanaka.

In 1958, Imamura directed his first film: Stolen Desire. In 1965, Imamura boldy created his own production company assuring his place as one of the pioneers of Japanese independent films.
In 1975, he created "The Cinema and Television Institute of Yokohama"ª which became "The Japanese Academy of Visuals Arts".

Filmography

"1958Désir Volé
Devant la Gare de Ginza-Ouest
Désir Inassouvi
1959Le Grand Frère
1961Cochons et Cuirassés
1963La Femme Insecte
1964Désir Meurtrier
1965Introduction à l'Anthropologie - le Pornographe
1967Évaporation de L'Homme
1968Désir Profond des Dieux
1970Histoire du Japon racontée par une hôtesse de Bar
1979La Vengeance est à moi
1981Eijanaika
1983La Ballade de Narayama (Palme d'Or Cannes 1983)
1987Zegen/Le Seigneur des Bordels (Sélection Officielle Cannes 1987)
1989 Pluie Noire (Sélection Officielle Cannes 1989)
1996L'Anguille (Palme d'or Cannes 1997)
1997Kanzo SenseÏ (Sélection Officielle Cannes 1998- HC)
2001DE L'EAU TIÈDE SOUS UN PONT ROUGE

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