Yoji Yamada

Yoji Yamada joied Shochiku as assistant director in 1954, and debuted as director with "Stranger Upstairs" in 1961. He started to make popular comedy movies, depicting down-town folks, and he became a household name in Japan with his "Otoko wa Tsuraiyo (Tora-san)" series, world's longest theatrical film from 1969 till 1997. He has focused on "small people's point of view" throughout his career, is skillful in making the popular movies, and has won several Japan Academy Awards with "Yellow Handkerchiefs" (1978) and "A Class to Remember "(1974, one of "Gakko - School" series).

In 2002, after 10 years of planning, he ventured into the first samurai film with "The Twilight Samurai". Inspired by encouraging words by late Akira Kurosawa, Yamada wanted to break the mold of a samurai film with this movie. He depicted town's folks life and the real, unstylish sword fighting, and the movie won not only the status as the cornerstone of the modern Japanese film, but also the international fame including the nomination in the U.S. Academy Awards Foreign Language Film category. Yamada followed it up with "The Hidden Blade" (2004) by the same original novelist, and it is waiting to be released internationally.

Japan Academy Award Best Director
Won: 2003 ("The Twilight Samurai"), 1994 ("A Class to Remember"), 1978 ("Yellow Handkerchiefs")
Nominated: 2007 ("Love and Honor"), 2005 ("Hidden Blade"), 2000 ("A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen"), 1998 ("A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage), 1997 ("A Class to Remember II"), 1992 ("My Sons")

Japan Academy Award Best Screenplay
Won: 2003 ("The Twilight Samurai"), 1994 ("A Class to Remember"), 1978 ("Yellow Handkerchiefs")
Nominated: 2007 ("Love and Honor"), 2005 ("Hidden Blade"), 2000 ("A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen"), 1998 ("A Class to Remember III: The New Voyage), 1997 ("A Class to Remember II"), 1992 ("Tora-san Confesses")