The Woman in the Dunes
- Eiji Okada as Niki Jumpei
- Kyoko Kishida as a woman
The Woman in the Dunes (Japanese砂 の 女, suna no onna ) is a Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara from the year 1964. The screenplay was written by Kobo Abe, based on his novel of 1962, and the leading roles played by Eiji Okada and Kyoko Kishida.
Action
An entomologist goes in search of rare insects in a lonely coastal area. As he seeks shelter for the night, as he has missed the last bus back to the city, it is brought by some villagers to the house of living alone young widow, situated in a valley below a cliff and only be reached via a rope ladder can. The woman serves him, and starts while he goes to bed to eliminate the invading through every crevice sand. The next morning, he discovers that the house is surrounded not only by the cliff, but also of insurmountable dunes. The villagers have now gone up the ladder, so he can not leave the property. From the woman he learns that he is being held to support them, because they could not fight against the ever encroaching dunes alone, of which also the village is threatened. Outraged, he made several unsuccessful attempts to escape, captures the woman and refused to cooperate, however, must realize that they are dependent on the supply of the villagers. Resignedly he takes up the fight against the sand on eventually.
He and the woman with a very different views on life are getting closer and begin an affair that is clouded by the desire of the man for freedom again. One day he discovers that accumulates in the soil between the dunes water that can be extracted. He begins to investigate the phenomenon. Shortly thereafter, the ill woman and is taken away by the villagers. When finally offers him the opportunity to escape, he realizes that his old life has nothing more to offer him. It therefore remains to be back in the house in the dunes.
Criticism
" A human poignant fable symbolized by absurd exaggeration Decomposition of wholeness. The most visually impressive film describes the existential plight of the people and place in the myth of the mirror image of life. "
Awards
The Woman in the Dunes received the 1964 Special Jury Prize at the Film Festival of Cannes. At the Academy Awards in 1965 ( official census 1964), the film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film, but had to Vittorio De Sica's Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow beaten. A year later, Teshigahara received a nomination for Best Director for The Woman in the Dunes.
In Japan received both Teshigahara and the composer Toru Takemitsu at Mainichi Film Festival prices, also the artistic director and the film were excellent. These two Kinema Junpo Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, and two Blue Ribbon Awards were in the same categories.