The Human Condition

Adapted from Gomikawa's six-part novel, Masaki Kobayashi's epic masterpiece reflects his own experiences as a pacifist in Japan during the Second World War. Four years in the making and running for a mammoth 579 minutes, Masaki Kobayashi's heart-rending anti-war trilogy was a controversial project; the Shochiku studio was reluctant to bankroll it, but was rewarded with a work of unparalleled power and poignancy. Sent to supervise a Manchurian copper mine, Tatsuya Nakadai attempts to curb brutal overseer Eitaro Ozawa's maltreatment of the enslaved Chinese workforce, only to find himself dispatched to the front without a chance to take leave of his wife, Michiyo Aratama. This harrowing exploration of the savage horror of combat is ambitious, shocking and unforgettable - a towering landmark in Japanese screen history.