Actor · Director

Kazuo Hara

1945

Who they are

Born: 8 June 1945, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
Known for: Goodbye CP, Extreme Private Eros: Love Song 1974, The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On

Kazuo Hara (born 1945) is a Japanese documentary director known for confrontational, intimate portraits of people who defy social norms. His films, including Goodbye CP and The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On, helped define radical Japanese nonfiction filmmaking and are widely studied internationally.

Where to start

Goodbye CP (1972)Log in to add it to the library
His debut feature, following people with cerebral palsy and establishing his uncompromising, confrontational style.
Extreme Private Eros: Love Song 1974 (1974)In the library
A raw, personal documentary about his former partner, pushing the boundaries of intimacy on screen.
The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On (1987)Full guide
His best-known film, tracking a former soldier who demands accountability for wartime atrocities.
A Dedicated Life (1994)Log in to add it to the library
Portrait of novelist Mitsuharu Inoue, blending documentary with staged elements.
Sennan Asbestos Disaster (2016)Log in to add it to the library
A long-term record of lawsuits by asbestos victims in Osaka's Sennan region, showing his late-career activism.

Their films in the library

Awards

1988: Best Director, Hochi Film Award, for The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
1988: Best Director, Yokohama Film Festival, for The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On
2017: Audience Award, Tokyo Filmex, for Sennan Asbestos Disaster
2017: BIFF Mecenat Award, Busan International Film Festival, for Sennan Asbestos Disaster

The full list · 16

1972Goodbye CPLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1974Extreme Private Eros: Love Song 1974Log in to add it to the libraryDirector · Actor as Himself
1987The Emperor's Naked Army Marches OnLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1994A Dedicated LifeLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
1996Tokiwa: The Manga ApartmentLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Kato
1999My MishimaLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2002Devotion: A Film About Ogawa ProductionsLog in to add it to the libraryActor as himself
2002A Painful PairLog in to add it to the libraryActor
2005The Many Faces of ChikaLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2013How Much Is a Life Worth?Log in to add it to the libraryDirector
2016Shin GodzillaLog in to add it to the libraryActor as Biology Professor
2016Sennan Asbestos DisasterLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2019Reiwa UprisingLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2021Minamata MandalaLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2023Hokusai Up Close: Paintings from the Freer Gallery of ArtLog in to add it to the libraryDirector
2025The Stars and the Moon are Holes in the SkyLog in to add it to the libraryActor as man in bar

Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.