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Yulia Gorovaya, First year, Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies

Yulia Gorovaya
First year, Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies

I am researching post-war Japanese cinema from a multi-perspective approach drawing upon aspects of film criticism, women’s liberation studies, and Japanese history. How are women depicted in Japanese cinema? How do these depictions reflect common preconceptions of women? There are many reasons why I chose this research topic. One is because I am interested in depictions of strong-willed women by male directors. It is thanks to male directors that depictions of liberated women were first produced.  For example, would it be inaccurate to consider  Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujiro Ozu, and Mikio Naruse  ”feminist directors?” I am also researching the concept ofYamato Nadeshiko, a term referring to the personification of an idealized Japanese woman. How is femininity depicted in cinema? Do depictions of mothers, geisha, young women, and hostesses coincide with reality? If not, how do they differ?

With the seminar students. Yulia is at the far left in the front row.

Through my research I would like to introduce new perspectives on Japanese film studies while incorporating established theoretical knowledge. I hope this leads to the rediscovery of Japanese directors and the impact they have had on the world of cinema.

Typical daily schedule