Yasuzō Masumura

Biography

Masumura was born in Kōfu on Honshū and later dropped out of law school to work as an assistant director at the Daiei studio before studying philosophy at the University of Tokyo. He won a scholarship to study film in Italy under notable directors Michelangelo Antonioni, Federico Fellini, and Luchino Visconti. Masumura returned to Japan in 1953 and directed his first film, Kisses, in 1957, marking the beginning of a prolific career spanning over three decades.