Japanese Literary Awards

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Tomoko Fujiwara

ふじわら ともこ

Fujiwara Tomoko

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1932-04-25 （Tokyo, Japan）
Died
2018-06-19 （Japan） age 86
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Film director, Screenwriter
Active Years
1960-2018

Education

University of Tokyo, Faculty of Letters
Faculty of Letters / Art History
Period: 1951-1955
Year of Graduation: 1955
Country: Japan
Majored in art history

Awards

Fujimoto Prize (Newcomer)
1997
Work: Louise: Her Departure
Category: 新人賞
Organization: Fujimoto Prize Committee
Result: 受賞
Arts Encouragement Prize (Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award)
2005
Work: Beate's Gift
Organization: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Arts Encouragement Prize)
Result: 受賞
Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays
2009
Organization: Cabinet Office
Result: 受章

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Wisdom of the Orangutan

1960 Documentary

Her directorial debut in 1960, a short documentary film.

natureanimals

The Wakens of Kabuki

1992 Documentary

A short documentary focusing on the role of wakens (stage assistants) in kabuki theatre.

traditional performing artsbehind the scenes

Fifty Years of Suginoko

1995 Documentary

A documentary about schoolchildren evacuated during World War II, tracing war's effects on their lives.

warmemorychildren

Louise: Her Departure

1997 Documentary

A biographical documentary following Ito Rui, the fourth daughter of Osugi Sakae and Ito Noe; won several domestic awards.

biographical historywomen's historysocial movements

Legendary Dance Diva Choi Seung-hee - Kim Maeko Traces the Soul of a People

2000 Documentary

A film following the life of Choi Seung-hee as pursued by prominent Korean dancer Kim Maeko, portraying dance history and personal biography.

dancebiographyethnicity

Dreams Transcend Time: The Bonds Woven by Umeko Tsuda

2000 Documentary

A documentary tracing the life and achievements of Umeko Tsuda in education and international exchange; received multiple awards.

educationwomen's historyinternationalism

Beate's Gift

2004 Documentary

Tells the story of Beate Sirota Gordon, who helped draft the equality clause in the Japanese Constitution; won the 2005 Arts Encouragement Prize.

constitutiongender equalityhuman rights

The Sirota Family in the 20th Century

2008 Documentary

A follow-up to Beate's Gift, chronicling the Sirota family's history and the impact of war; won the Grand Prix of the jury at the 7th Kyiv International Documentary Film Festival.

family historywarmigration

Bibliography

  • Wisdom of the Orangutan (1960)
  • The Wakens of Kabuki (1992)
  • Fifty Years of Suginoko (1995)
  • Louise: Her Departure (1997)
  • Legendary Dance Diva Choi Seung-hee (2000)
  • Dreams Transcend Time: Umeko Tsuda (2000)
  • Beate's Gift (2004)
  • The Sirota Family in the 20th Century (2008)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
observational documentary styleempathetic, character-focused narrationstructure based on historical archival materials
Recurring Motifs
women's liveswar and memorypreservation of traditional culture

Health

  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
    晩年
    Died in 2018 from this disease; it affected her health in later years.

Legacy

Recognized domestically for her documentaries dealing with women's history, cultural heritage and wartime memory. Her contributions to education and culture earned her national awards including the Arts Encouragement Prize and the Order of the Rising Sun.

Academic Societies

  • Japan Film Pen Club

Trivia

  • She studied art history at the University of Tokyo and entered documentary filmmaking after graduating in 1955.
  • Debuted as a director in 1960, took a hiatus for child-rearing, and returned to filmmaking in 1980 at age 47.
  • Awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays in 2009.