Kazuo Kuroki

Kazuo Kuroki (黒木和雄 Kuroki Kazuo) was a Japanese film director who was particularly known for his films on World War II and the question of personal guilt. He attended Doshisha University, but left before graduating, instead finding employment at Iwanami Productions. There he directed PR films and documentary films, while also participating in the "Blue Group" (Ao no kai) with other Iwanami filmmakers such as Noriaki Tsuchimoto, Shinsuke Ogawa, and Yōichi Higashi, a group that was exploring new paths in documentary. Kuroki left Iwanami after experiencing conflicts with the sponsors of Hokkaido, My Love (1960). With Record of a Marathon Runner (1964) that helped spark changes in the Japanese documentary world. Kuroki switched to fiction film, independently producing Silence Has No Wings (1966) and showing it at the Art Theatre Guild. He became one of the representative figures of ATG and independent Japanese cinema, and was particularly known for a series of works dealing with the atomic bombings of Japan, such as Tomorrow (1988) and The Face of Jizo (2004). These were in part spurred by his growing up near the city of Nagasaki. Kuroki's work also dealt with his own feelings of guilt from the war, as he felt responsible when some of his fellow students, who had been conscripted to work in a local factory, died in Allied bombings and he did not help

Kazuo Kuroki is known for work in directing across film and television. New Release currently presents 24 verified screen credits connected to this profile. Selected work includes Horror Theater Unbalance (1973), Ronin-gai (1990), Keishi-K (1980), Tomorrow (1988), Preparation for the Festival (1975), The Assassination of Ryoma (1974), The Face of Jizo (2004), A Boy's Summer in 1945 (2002). The recorded credits span 1959 to 2006, including 22 movies and 2 TV shows. The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.