Japanese Literary Awards

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Masayuki Suo

すお まさゆき

Suo Masayuki

Aliases: 矢島周平
Pen Names: Yajima Shuhei（Pseudonym credited in pink film productions）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1956-10-29 （Meguro, Tokyo, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Meguro, Tokyo, Japan → Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan

Career

Occupations
film director, screenwriter
Active Years
1982-
Affiliations
Ohta Publishing (served as auditor), Altamira Pictures
Influenced By
Yasujiro Ozu, Shigehiko Hasumi, Banmei Takahashi, Kōji Wakamatsu, Kazuyuki Izutsu

Education

Rikkyo University
Faculty of Arts / French Literature
Period: 1975-1981
Year of Graduation: 1981
Country: Japan
Encountered film theory lecture by Shigehiko Hasumi and decided to pursue filmmaking

Awards

Broadcast Film Critics Association Award — Best Foreign Language Film
1997
Work: Shall We Dance?
Organization: Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA)
Result: winner
National Board of Review — Best Foreign Language Film
1996
Work: Shall We Dance?
Organization: National Board of Review
Result: winner
Japan Academy Prize — Best Director
1993
Work: Shiko Funjatta
Category: 監督賞
Organization: Japan Academy Prize Association
Result: winner
Japan Academy Prize — Best Director
1997
Work: Shall We Dance?
Category: 監督賞
Organization: Japan Academy Prize Association
Result: winner
Japan Academy Prize — Best Screenplay
1992
Work: Shiko Funjatta
Category: 脚本賞
Organization: Japan Academy Prize Association
Result: winner
Japan Academy Prize — Best Screenplay
1996
Work: Shall We Dance?
Category: 脚本賞
Organization: Japan Academy Prize Association
Result: winner
Blue Ribbon Awards — Best Director
1993
Work: Shiko Funjatta
Category: 監督賞
Organization: Blue Ribbon Awards
Result: winner
Blue Ribbon Awards — Best Director
2008
Work: I Just Didn't Do It
Category: 監督賞
Organization: Blue Ribbon Awards
Result: winner
Directors Guild of Japan — New Directors Award
1991
Work: Shiko Funjatta
Organization: Directors Guild of Japan
Result: winner
Mainichi Film Awards — Best Film (Japan)
2013
Work: The Last Will and Testament
Organization: Mainichi Film Awards
Result: winner
Medal with Purple Ribbon
2016
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: decorated

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Hentai Kazoku: Aniki no Yomesan

1984 pink film

A pink film debut that pays homage to Yasujiro Ozu's camera work.

homagecinematic experimentation

Fancy Dance

1989 feature film

A film that gained acclaim and helped Suo transition to mainstream cinema.

familyeveryday humor

Shiko Funjatta

1991 comedy

A comedy about amateur sumo at university. It was a commercial success and won multiple domestic film awards.

youthcommunityhumor

Shall We Dance?

1996 drama / comedy

A film about ballroom dancing that became a major hit, both domestically and internationally, earning multiple foreign film awards in the U.S. and elsewhere.

personal renewalchanges in everyday lifeadult romance and conflict
Adaptations
  • [film (remake)] Shall We Dance? (2004 remake) / Peter Chelsom (2004)

I Just Didn't Do It

2007 social drama

A social drama addressing problems in Japan's criminal justice system, including interrogation and trial procedures.

false accusationjustice systemjustice

The Last Will and Testament

2012 drama

A film depicting family relationships and end-of-life issues; it won the Mainichi Film Awards' top prize for Japanese film.

familyagingtrust

Katsuben!

2019 period-style / comedy

An entertainment film that draws on the silent film era and the role of benshi (film narrators) in Japan.

film historycraftsmanshiptransmission of expression

Bibliography

  • Shiko Funjatta (novelization)
  • Shall We Dance? (novelization)
  • Shall We Dance? Going to America (non-fiction)
  • I Just Didn't Do It — Questions about Japan's Criminal Trials (non-fiction)

Adaptations

  • Shall We Dance? (2004 American remake)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
humanistic depiction blended with humorinfluence of Ozu-like framing and composed long takesalso addresses social issues with a sober tone
Recurring Motifs
everyday humorcommunity (family, workplace, clubs)expression and tradition (film history / craftsmanship)

Legacy

Recognized both domestically and internationally, Suo is best known for creating one of Japan's international hits with Shall We Dance?. His range from social-issue films to broad comedies has had an enduring influence on contemporary Japanese cinema.

Academic Societies

  • Directors Guild of Japan

In Popular Culture

  • Shall We Dance? is credited with sparking renewed interest in ballroom dancing in Japan.

Quotes

  • Since childhood my happiness has been making people around me laugh and enjoy themselves. Learning the knack of that laughter has helped me as a film director.
    Source: Interview (source: summarized from Wikipedia)

Trivia

  • Blood type A
  • Married to actress Tamiyo Kusakari (since 1996)
  • Played baseball as a child and remains a fan of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
  • Served as a judge on the 1996 NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen