On a fateful day in 1970, ​​​​Mishima ​​​Yukio ​and the most loyal members of his private army ​took a​​ ​military general ​hostage ​and barricaded themselves inside ​the general’s​​ office on ​his​​ ​military base. ​Mishima declared that h​is final act was ​​​​a call to protect the Emperor and Japanese tradition in ​the ​face of foreign interference. ​​​

Writer​ and ​​​director Paul Schrader ​​​retells​​​ the life of post-war Japan’s most controversial literary figure ​​​with​ Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters​​​​​. Co-written with ​Schrader’s ​​brother Leonard and sister-in-law Chieko, ​the​​ ​film draws parallels between ​Mishima’s​​ ​biographical details​ ​and the ideals represented in his writing​, focusing on his shocking suicide and portions of three of his novels—The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko’s House, and Runaway Horses​. The film and its subject ​proved​​ ​too incendiary for Japanese cinema even though it was released fifteen years after Mishima's death. ​​​​​L​ead actor ​Ogata​ Ken​’s charismatic turn as Mishima, Philip Glass’s ​mesmerising​​ ​score, and​ ​Ishioka​ Eiko​’s stunning production design​​ all come together in this biographical epic.

The screening on 13 May will be followed by a post-screening talk in Cantonese with M+ Assistant Curator of Moving Image Francisco Lo, who will discuss the intricacy and quirks related to foreign filmmakers shooting in Japan.

Paul Schrader (b. 1946, USA) grew up in a religious household and ​studied philosophy and theology at university. He then obtained a master’s degree in film studies at ​​University of California and became a film critic. ​Schrader​​ ​co-wrote his first screenplay The Yakuza (1974) with his brother ​​Leonard, who had lived in Japan, and screenwriter Robert Towne. His reputation as a screenwriter grew tremendously with the Martin Scorsese-directed ​films ​Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980). Schrader is also recognised for directing films such as American Gigolo (1980), Cat People (1982), ​​and First Reformed (2017).