Kenji Mizoguchi, Japanese director and screenwriter (d. 1956)
Kenji Mizoguchi (溝口 健二, Mizoguchi Kenji, May 16, 1898 – August 24, 1956) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter.
Mizoguchi's work is renowned for its long takes and mise-en-scène. According to writer Mark Le Fanu, "His films have an extraordinary force and purity. They shake and move the viewer by the power, refinement and compassion with which they confront human suffering."His film Ugetsu (1953) brought him international attention and appeared in the Sight & Sound Critics' Top Ten Poll in 1962 and 1972. Other acclaimed films of his include The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums (1939), The Life of Oharu (1952), Sansho the Bailiff (1954), and The Crucified Lovers (1954). Today, Mizoguchi is often cited as one of the most acclaimed filmmakers in Japanese and world cinema.