Cinematic Point Of View

“Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director” is a documentary that explores the life and career of Ishiro Honda, one of Japan’s most influential filmmakers.

This film looks at Honda’s extensive body of work, offering insights into his impact on Japanese cinema while also shedding light on his personal history. It highlights his harrowing experiences during the war, which shaped his worldview, and his deep, lasting feelings concerning the atomic bomb—a theme that became central to many of his films.

I recently started reading Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film From Godzilla to Kurosawa and it’s great! From his time as director on classics like Godzilla and Destroy All Monsters to his work as Assistant Director on so many Kurosawa films like Ran, Dreams, Stray Dog, Kagemusha, etc, Honda has a fascinating body of work.

This upcoming documentary looks to explore much of the same life moments from his time as a reluctant Japanese soldier to witnessing the aftermath of Hiroshima to his lifelong friendship with Akira Kurosawa. 

Can’t wait to see this movie!