April 19—20, 2024

A pioneering 1980s independent production outfit led by Kazuhiko Hasegawa (The Man Who Stole The Sun) and made up of a collective of eight filmmakers from studio, pinku and jishu eiga roots (Shinji Somai, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Sogo Ishii among them), Directors Company (1982-1992), known colloquially as “Direkan,” eschewed traditional modes of production to free itself from the constraints of major studios and promote artistic growth and creative expression. Establishing connections with the Art Theatre Guild, Toho, Nikkatsu and others to distribute its works, the company’s unique model resulted in a number of acclaimed releases including Typhoon Club and Mermaid Legend. Despite critical admiration, the company suffered from financial troubles and a lack of commercial success, eventually folding in 1992. Essential to the rise of independent cinema at a time when the studio system was in shambles, Japan Society presents two key works from Direkan: Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Bumpkin Soup and Sogo Ishii’s cult satire The Crazy Family.