Kozue Tanaka

Kozue Tanaka took the stage at Cannes in 1983 without realizing her image would be forever tied to the harshness of the mountain. She was 21 years old. She had just come from making erotic films for the studio Nikkatsu, and suddenly she found herself working under Shohei Imamura.

The Nikkatsu Toll

In 1981, she debuted in Joshidai sei: nureta semina. These were the years of Roman Porno, a genre that served as a training ground for young actresses looking for a real break. Tanaka did not hide her body, but she wanted more than the lecherous gaze of the average viewer.

She starred in titles like Sailor-fuku: iro-zakari in 1982 before Imamura brought her to a wider audience. Japanese commercial cinema of that era worked like an assembly line of new faces who burned out fast.

Japanese cinema of the 1980s had no patience for a lack of character.

The Peak of 1983

The Ballad of Narayama was an exhausting shoot in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture. Imamura demanded a naturalism that bordered on unbearable for the cast. Tanaka played Tamanami, a supporting role that was nonetheless vital to understanding the family structure of that forgotten village.

The film won the Palme d'Or and put the actress on the international map. But the Japanese industry is a grinder of female talent. After this success, Tanaka appeared in Keiji monogatari 2: Ringo no uta in 1983 and in Love Hotel in 1985.

This last film, directed by Shinji Somai, is considered a cult piece for its opening long take. That's where Tanaka showed she could sustain dramatic tension without relying on tricks. Quality roles began to dry up for a woman who didn't want to be typecast in supporting parts as a devoted wife.

Then came the silence.

For almost two decades her name disappeared from the main credits of major productions. No one expected her comeback. In 2015 she accepted a role in The Mourner (Itamu hito), directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi. It was a brief appearance that closed a cycle of long absences and rumors about her permanent retirement.

The shoot for her final scene in 2015 was completed in a single six-minute take. The production used Alexa digital cameras to cut outdoor lighting costs, and the film's total budget did not exceed 300 million yen.