Yōichi Sai
- Known For
- Directing
- Born
- July 6, 1949 in Nagano, Japan
- Died
- November 27, 2022
- Active Years
- 1975–2022 (48 Years)
- Total Credits
- 51 credits in database
Biography
Yōichi Sai was a film director and writer born on July 6, 1949, in Nagano, Japan. His mother was Japanese and his father was zainichi Korean. He served as the president of the Directors Guild of Japan. Among his notable works are the films Blood and Bones released in 2004, All Under the Moon released in 1993, and Doing Time released in 2002. His 2004 film Chi to hone won four Japanese Academy Awards, which included two individual awards for Sai for Best Director and Best Screenplay. He had previously received two nominations in those same categories for Tsuki wa dotchi ni dete iru. In 1999, he directed Buta no mukui, also known as The Pig's Retribution, which was inspired by the eponymous novel by Eiki Matayoshi and won the Don Quixote prize at the Locarno International Film Festival. Sai passed away on November 27, 2022, in Tokyo, Japan, at the age of 73.
Career overview
Yoichi Sai was a film director and writer born in Nagano, Japan, on July 6, 1949. His mother was Japanese, and his father was zainichi Korean. Throughout his career, he worked in Japan and also served as the president of the Directors Guild of Japan. He was known for directing works such as Blood and Bones, All Under the Moon, and Doing Time, and he accumulated thirty-nine known credits in the industry.
His 2004 film Chi to hone achieved significant recognition, winning four Japanese Academy Awards. Two of these awards were presented to Sai himself in the categories of Best Director and Best Screenplay. Previously, he had received two nominations in the same categories for the film Tsuki wa dotchi ni dete iru. In 1999, he directed Buta no mukui, also known as The Pig's Retribution, which was inspired by the 1996 Akutagawa Prize-winning eponymous novel by Eiki Matayoshi. Set in the natural scenery of Okinawa, this film won the Don Quixote prize at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1999.
Sai passed away on November 27, 2022, at the age of seventy-three in Tokyo, Japan.
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Career timeline
Full Filmography
51 titles- CLUB DEJA-VU ONE NIGHT SHOW 松田優作・メモリアル・ライブ (2022) Director
- 優作について私が知っている二、三の事柄 (2022) Director
- Kamui (2009) Director
- Kamui (2009) Screenplay
- The Short Films: We Were All Once Children (2008) Director
- Soo (2007) Director
- Soo (2007) Writer
- Route 225 (2006)
- Blood and Bones (2004) Director
- Blood and Bones (2004) Screenplay
- Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog (2004) Director
- In the Realm of the Senses: Recalling the Film (2003) as Self - Interviewee
- Doing Time (2002) Director
- Doing Time (2002) Writer
- Taboo (1999) as Isami Kondo
- The Pig's Retribution (1999) Director
- The Pig's Retribution (1999) Screenplay
- Dog Race (1998) Director
- Dog Race (1998) Writer
- The Stairway to the Distant Past (1995) as Chief of Police
- MARKS (1995) Screenplay
- MARKS (1995) Director
- Heisei Irresponsible Family: Tokyo de Luxe (1995) Director
- Heisei Irresponsible Family: Tokyo de Luxe (1995) Screenplay
- N45゜ (1994) as Bearded man
- All Under the Moon (1993) as Section Chief
- All Under the Moon (1993) Director
- All Under the Moon (1993) Screenplay
- Burning Dog (1991) Director
- Via Okinawa (1989) Director
- The Glorious Asuka Gang! (1988) Director
- The Glorious Asuka Gang! (1988) Screenplay
- The Lady in a Black Dress (1987) Director
- Love Story (1986) Director
- Let Him Rest in Peace (1985) Director
- Someday, Someone Will Be Killed (1984) Director
- The Mosquito on the Tenth Floor (1983) Writer
- The Mosquito on the Tenth Floor (1983) Director
- Sexual Crime (1983) Director
- Dansen (1983) Director
- Pro Hunter (1981) Director
- The Night of Martial Law (1980) Assistant Director
- 不良少年 (1980) Assistant Director
- No Grave for Us (1979) Assistant Director
- The Most Dangerous Game (1978) Assistant Director
- The Killing Game (1978) Assistant Director
- Kitamura Tokoku: My Winter Song (1977) Assistant Director
- In the Realm of the Senses (1976) Assistant Director
- Bastard on the Border (1976) Producer
- Kokuhatsu Zainichi kankokujin seijihan report (1975) First Assistant Director
- Empire of Passion: On the Set as Self (Assistant Director for "Empire of Passion")
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Yōichi Sai best known for?
Yōichi Sai is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog (2004), Taboo (1999), Halali oder Der Schuß ins Brötchen (1995), In the Realm of the Senses (1976).
When and where was Yōichi Sai born?
Yōichi Sai was born on July 6, 1949 in Nagano, Japan. They passed away on November 27, 2022.
How many credits does Yōichi Sai have?
Yōichi Sai has accumulated over 51 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1975 to 2022.
What is Yōichi Sai's background in cinema and television?
Yōichi Sai was a film director and writer born on July 6, 1949, in Nagano, Japan. His mother was Japanese and his father was zainichi Korean. He served as the president of the Directors Guild of Japan. Among his notable works are the films Blood and Bones released in 2004, All Under the Moon released in 1993, and Doing...
Yōichi Sai by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Taboo (1999) as Isami Kondo — aged about 49
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