Kei Kumai

Kei Kumai was a Japanese film director whose socially engaged cinema earned international recognition and an Academy Award nomination.

What do we know about Kei Kumai?

Here are the key biographical details about Kei Kumai:

  • Name: Kei Kumai
  • Also Known As: Кэй Кумаи
  • Date of Birth: June 1, 1930
  • Place of Birth: Nagano Prefecture, Japan
  • Date of Death: May 23, 2007
  • Gender: Male
  • Job Title: Director
  • Crew Jobs: Director, Screenplay, Writer, First Assistant Director, Assistant Director

Who is Kei Kumai?

Kei Kumai (熊井 啓, Kumai Kei, 1 June 1930 – 23 May 2007) was a Japanese film director from Azumino, Nagano prefecture. After his studies in literature at Shinshu University, he began work as a director's assistant.

He won the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award for his first film, Nihon rettō, in 1965. His 1972 film Shinobu Kawa was entered into the 8th Moscow International Film Festival. His 1973 film Rise, Fair Sun was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.

Sandakan No. 8 received widespread acclaim for tackling the issue of a woman forced into prostitution in Borneo before the outbreak of World War II. The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 48th Academy Awards.

What is Kei Kumai known for?

Kei Kumai is a Japanese director recognized for a body of work spanning decades of morally and historically resonant filmmaking. His most celebrated works include:

  • Hiroshima (1953, Movie)
  • The Sea Is Watching (2002, Movie)
  • Sandakan No. 8 (1974, Movie)
  • The Sea and Poison (1986, Movie)
  • Death of a Tea Master (1989, Movie)
  • The Long Darkness (1972, Movie)
  • The Sands of Kurobe (1968, Movie)
  • Deep River (1995, Movie)
  • Love and Faith (1978, Movie)
  • A Chain of Islands (1965, Movie)

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