Kokuho

What it’s about

In 1964 Nagasaki, after his yakuza father is killed, teenage Kikuo Tachibana is taken in by the famous kabuki actor Hanjiro Hanai, impressed by the boy's skill as an onnagata. Kikuo trains alongside Hanjiro's son, Shunsuke, the heir to the family tradition. Over decades, the two young men grow and evolve together as they dedicate themselves to kabuki, and one will become the greatest Japanese master of the art.

What hooks you

The film is directed by Sang-il Lee, known for his work on dramatic stories, and features Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama as the two leads, with Ken Watanabe as Hanjiro Hanai. It received an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. The initial cut ran four and a half hours, and the director found cutting it down to three hours incredibly difficult.

Who it’s for

It is worth a look for anyone who enjoys historical dramas set in mid-20th-century Japan, stories of artistic rivalry and dedication, and themes of cross-dressing and gender roles in traditional theater.