Kōichi Saitō
DirectingKōichi Saitō (斎藤 耕一 Saitō Kōichi, 3 February 1929 – 28 November 2009) was a Japanese film director and photographer. Born in Tokyo, Saitō started studying at Rikkyo University but ended up graduating from the Tokyo College of Photography (currently Tokyo Polytechnic University). He was initially a movie stills photographer at Nikkatsu before launching his own production company, Saito Productions, and directing his first film, Tsubuyaki no Jō, "a low-budget, independent film with a visual flair that earned comparisons with Claude Lelouch and with Richard Lester’s Beatles films, including A Hard Day’s Night". Some of his first films were youth movies featuring Group Sounds music. He came to prominence in the early 1970s with a series of movies about young people escaping to or searching for their identity in the countryside. He won the best director award at the 1972 Mainichi Film Awards. His Tsugaru jongarabushi was selected the best film of 1973 in the Kinema Junpo poll of critics. Saitō continued directing into his seventies and also made some documentaries. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun (4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette) in 2000.
Filmography — Crew
The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi
Writer
Jesus is My Boss
Director
Only on Mondays
Writer
Shadow of Deception
Director
The Rendezvous
Director
The Homeless
Director
Tsugaru Folksong
Director
Ningen no sabaku
Director
Rainbow Over Paris
Director
Frozen River
Director
Journey Into Solitude
Director
The School Cap
Writer
Seasonal Wind
Director
The S.S. Happiness Sets Sail
Director
Invitation from the Beach
Director
Kigeki: koko kara hajimaru monogatari
Director
Memai
Director
Rose Buds in the Rainbow
Director
Second Chance
Director
Fallen Leaves and Sweet Memories
Screenplay
The Tide Does Not Return
Director
The Blue Mountains '88
Director
Takehisa Yumeji monogatari: koi suru
Director
Hotel Rose
Director
Little Snack
Director
Bokyo
Director
Someday, Somewhere
Screenplay
Dear Tomorrow
Screenplay
Waterfront Blues
Director
Tabiji: ofukuro-san yori
Screenplay
Onigiri: Arcadia monogatari
Director
Whispering Joe
Director
The Wonderful Ones
Director
Falling Blossoms
Screenplay
Aspiration
Director
Kigeki: Hanayome sensô
Screenplay