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Yōichi Sai
DIRECTOR

Yōichi Sai

Yōichi Sai (born 6 July 1949 in Nagano Prefecture, Japan) was a Japanese film director. His mother is Japanese, His father is zainichi Korean. His 2004 film Chi to hone won four Japanese Academy Awards, including two for Sai himself, for Best Director and Best Screenplay. He had previously received two nominations in the same categories for Tsuki wa dotchi ni dete iru. In 1999 he shot Buta no mukui (The Pig's Retribution), a film set…

Snapshot 2026-10-15

Born
Jul 6, 1949
Died
Nov 27, 2022
Birthplace
Nagano, Japan
Known For
Directing

Biography

Yōichi Sai (born 6 July 1949 in Nagano Prefecture, Japan) was a Japanese film director. His mother is Japanese, His father is zainichi Korean.

His 2004 film Chi to hone won four Japanese Academy Awards, including two for Sai himself, for Best Director and Best Screenplay. He had previously received two nominations in the same categories for Tsuki wa dotchi ni dete iru. In 1999 he shot Buta no mukui (The Pig's Retribution), a film set in the lavish natural scenery of Okinawa, inspired by the 1996 Akutagawa Prize-winning eponymous novel by Eiki Matayoshi. The film won the Don Quixote prize at Locarno International Film Festival in 1999.

He won the award for Best Screenplay at the 11th Yokohama Film Festival for A Sign Days.

As an actor, he appeared in Nagisa Oshima's 1999 film Taboo. He is the current president of the Directors Guild of Japan.

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Filmography

Movies

KZ
Kokuhatsu Zainichi kankokujin seijihan reportFirst Assistant Director
1975
Bastard on the BorderProducer
1976
In the Realm of the SensesAssistant Director
1976
Kitamura Tokoku: My Winter SongAssistant Director
1977
The Killing GameAssistant Director
1978
The Most Dangerous GameAssistant Director
1978
No Grave for UsAssistant Director
1979
The Night of Martial LawAssistant Director
1980
不良少年Assistant Director
1980
DansenDirector
1983
Sexual CrimeDirector
1983
The Mosquito on the Tenth FloorDirector
1983
The Mosquito on the Tenth FloorWriter
1983
Someday, Someone Will Be KilledDirector
1984
Let Him Rest in PeaceDirector
1985
Love StoryDirector
1986
The Lady in a Black DressDirector
1987
The Glorious Asuka Gang!Director
1988
The Glorious Asuka Gang!Screenplay
1988
Via OkinawaDirector
1989
Burning DogDirector
1991
All Under the MoonSection Chief
1993
All Under the MoonDirector
1993
All Under the MoonScreenplay
1993
N
N45゜Bearded man
1994
Heisei Irresponsible Family: Tokyo de LuxeDirector
1995
Heisei Irresponsible Family: Tokyo de LuxeScreenplay
1995
MARKSScreenplay
1995
MARKSDirector
1995
The Stairway to the Distant PastChief of Police
1995
Dog RaceDirector
1998
Dog RaceWriter
1998
TabooIsami Kondo
1999
The Pig's RetributionDirector
1999
The Pig's RetributionScreenplay
1999
Doing TimeDirector
2002
Doing TimeWriter
2002
In the Realm of the Senses: Recalling the FilmSelf - Interviewee
2003
Blood and BonesDirector
2004
Blood and BonesScreenplay
2004
Quill: The Life of a Guide DogDirector
2004
Route 225
2006
SooDirector
2007
SooWriter
2007
The Short Films: We Were All Once ChildrenDirector
2008
KamuiDirector
2009
KamuiScreenplay
2009
CLUB DEJA-VU ONE NIGHT SHOW 松田優作・メモリアル・ライブDirector
2022
優作について私が知っている二、三の事柄Director
2022
EO
Empire of Passion: On the SetSelf (Assistant Director for "Empire of Passion")

Television

Pro HunterDirector
1981

Photos

Yōichi Sai photo
Yōichi Sai photo
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