Shinji Sōmai, a renowned Japanese film director, was born on January 13, 1948, in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. However, his early life was marked by a relocation to Hokkaido, where he spent his formative years.
After dropping out of Chuo University, Somai began his career in 1975 as an assistant director with Nikkatsu Co., one of Japan's leading film production companies. This marked the beginning of his journey in the film industry, which would eventually lead him to become a prominent figure in Japanese cinema.
Somai made his directorial debut in 1980 with The Terrible Couple, an adaptation of a popular boys' manga of the time. The film, which dealt with the challenges of adolescence, set the tone for Somai's future works, which often focused on the struggles of young people as they navigated the complexities of adult society.
Throughout his career, Somai was known for his ability to elicit strong performances from his actors, which he achieved through the use of long takes and constantly-moving shots. This technique allowed his cast to achieve the proper mood for scenes, which would have been ruined by quick editing.
One of the most striking examples of Somai's use of long takes can be seen in his 1985 film Lost Chapter of Snow: Passion, where he employs a single fourteen-minute take to reveal a series of significant events in one character's childhood.
Somai's films often blended genres, taking unexpected turns and leading to stimulating conclusions. Over the course of his career, he directed 13 films between 1980 and 2000, leaving a lasting impact on the world of Japanese cinema.
Sadly, Somai passed away on September 9, 2001, at the age of 53, due to complications from lung cancer. Despite his untimely death, his legacy continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers and audiences alike.
