The Buried Forest

Kohei Oguri

Since his debut with ?Doro no Kawa? (Muddy River), director Kohei Oguri has attracted interest both at home and overseas, thanks mainly to his high degree of artistry coupled with a deep insight into human nature. His first film was nominated for the American Academy Prize in the Foreign Language Film section, where it was selected for the final five. In the 1990 Cannes Film Festival ?Shi no Toge? (The Sting of Death) won both the Grand Prize of the Jury and FIPRESCI, whilst in 1996 ?Nemuru Otoko? (Sleeping Man) achieved the box office record for the art house circuit for that year. It has been 9 years since ?Nemuru Otoko?, and Oguri’s much-awaited new release, ?Umoregi? (The Buried Forest) is now ready. Modern society is often painted as having an uncertain future, with little chance for people to change their circumstances. But is the reality as harsh as this? ?Umoregi? sets out to show that change is possible, and by using an HD camera, Oguri is exploring new areas of cinematography to further expand the fantasy elements of his work.