KAGI

Adapted from Jun’ichirō Tanizaki’s novel, the film explores the midlife of Kenji and Ikuko Kenmochi, whose marriage is marked by routine and loss of desire. Kenji, an antiques dealer, attempts to revive passion through psychological and voyeuristic games, leaving his private diary in view. The plot also involves their daughter Toshiko and her lover Kimura, weaving a web of desires and obsessions that culminates in tragedy. Ichikawa’s direction, combined with Nakamura and Kyō’s performances, creates a tense, psychologically complex work, a landmark of 1950s Japanese cinema exploring intimate dynamics and marital perversions.