Dictionary of Japanese actors and actresses & 4 essential DVDs

A book written by Tomuya Endo and Pascal-Alex Vincent

THE BOOK: THE DICTIONARY OF JAPANESE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES

Following the success of the box set The Golden Age of Japanese Cinema (October 2016), Carlotta Films is pleased to announce the publication of The Golden Age of Japanese Cinema – Volume II , this time devoted to actors and Japanese actresses.

Conceived between Tokyo and Paris by Tomuya Endo and Pascal-Alex Vincent, this work is the first dedicated to the actors of the greatest cinematography in Asia. It will allow film buffs and novices alike to discover Japanese cinema through those who embodied it.

Discover the history of Japanese cinema through the journey of 30 legendary stars!

Did you know that Toshirô Mifune, the eternal samurai of Akira Kurosawa's films, was approached by George Lucas to play in Star Wars ? That Setsuko Hara, Yasujirô Ozu's muse, mysteriously disappeared at the height of her glory? That Tatsuya Nakadai, the hero of Masaki Kobayashi's films, demanded to play with a real sword? That Hideko Takamine, the muse of Mikio Naruse, had learned to speak French.

All these anecdotes are in this book which looks back on the journey of the greatest stars of the golden age of the studios. Illustrated with more than 250 photos, often unpublished, this dictionary is an invitation to travel through the best of Japanese cinema.

4 FILMS ON DVD

This sum work is embellished with 4 DVDs: 3 great masterpieces of the history of Japanese cinema in a restored version, and 1 unpublished documentary on the star actor Toshirô Mifune!

WHEN A WOMAN CLIMBS THE STAIRCASE by Mikio Naruse (unpublished)
The love life of a bar hostess, between hopes and disappointments. A portrait of a woman worn by the great Hideko Takamine.

THE TASTE OF SAKE by Yasujirô Ozu
Old Hirayama must resolve to marry off his daughter. Last film of the great filmmaker of the family.

CONFESSIONS, THEORIES, ACTRESSES by Kijû Yoshida
The day before a shoot that will bring them together, three famous actresses question themselves. A formal essay and a reflection on the profession of actress, by Kijû Yoshida, one of the masters of the Japanese New Wave.

MIFUNE: THE LAST OF THE SAMURAI by Steven Okazak
Back to Toshirô Mifune, the international star of Japanese cinema. A documentary narrated by Keanu Reeves. With in particular the unpublished testimonies of Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Kyôko Kagawa and Kôji Yakusho.

FROM PARIS TO TOKYO, THE 2 AUTHORS

Tomuya Endo
Author specializing in Japanese cinema, Tomuya Endo recently published the book Cinéma France-Japon, une histoire (Éditions Matsumoto Kobo, Tokyo, 2017). Musician and singer, he works to promote kayo songs in France, and French variety in Japan. In 2007, he gave a concert at L'Olympia. His album where he revisits the main themes of several Japanese films was recorded in Paris and released in 2017, illustrating his passion for soundtracks. He has just finished a monograph of actress Yoko Tani.

Pascal-Alex Vincent
Filmmaker, author of numerous music videos, short films, documentaries and feature films, Pascal-Alex Vincent has worked in the distribution of Japanese cinema in France. He now teaches at Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle University.

276-page book (250 photos) + 4 DVDs

Released October 15, 2018