Koji Wakamatsu and the Heat of the Times

Koji Wakamatsu and the Heat of the Times

Koji Wakamatsu (1936-2012) was a Japanese film director active in the 1960s and 1970s who incorporated social movements and revolutionary ideas into his films. His masterpieces "Tenshi no ecstasy" (1972) and "Red Army-PFLP: Declaration of World War" (1971) were made on the theme of war and criticism of capitalism. Resonating with the student movement and anti-war activities of the time, these low-budget independent productions used bold techniques to criticize the oppressive structures of society. Through international collaboration with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and exchanges with Red Army faction members such as Takamaro Tamiya, the film symbolized the innovative spirit of the times. Wakamatsu said, "Cinema is a means of revolution," and his innovations influenced later directors such as Sion Sono, and are still being reevaluated today.