Person
Kōichi Saitō
Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
Kōichi Saitō (斎藤 耕一 Saitō Kōichi, 3 February 1929 – 28 November 2009) was a Japanese film director and photographer. Born in Tokyo, Saitō started studying at Rikkyo University but…
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Kōichi Saitō (斎藤 耕一 Saitō Kōichi, 3 February 1929 – 28 November 2009) was a Japanese film director and photographer. Born in Tokyo, Saitō started studying at Rikkyo University but ended up graduating from the Tokyo College of Photography (currently Tokyo Polytechnic University). He was initially a movie stills photographer at Nikkatsu before launching his own production company, Saito Productions, and directing his first film, Tsubuyaki no Jō, "a low-budget, independent film with a visual flair that earned comparisons with Claude Lelouch and with Richard Lester’s Beatles films, including A Hard Day’s Night". Some of his first films were youth movies featuring Group Sounds music. He came to prominence in the early 1970s with a series of movies about young people escaping to or searching for their identity in the countryside. He won the best director award at the 1972 Mainichi Film Awards. His Tsugaru jongarabushi was selected the best film of 1973 in the Kinema Junpo poll of critics. Saitō continued directing into his seventies and also made some documentaries. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun (4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette) in 2000.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
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2004
Onigiri: Arcadia monogatari
Movie Director
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2001
Jesus is My Boss
Movie Director
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1999
YaYaBaka Yuttari-San
Movie Director
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1996
Hotel Rose
Movie Director
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1993
Bokyo
Movie Director
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1990
Daihyô torishimariyaku deka
TV show Director
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1990
Ningen no sabaku
Movie Director
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1988
The Blue Mountains '88
Movie Director
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1980
The S.S. Happiness Sets Sail
Movie Director
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1979
The Adventures of Kosuke Kindaichi
Movie Writer
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1978
Invitation from the Beach
Movie Director
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1977
Seasonal Wind
Movie Director
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1977
Aspiration
Movie Director
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1976
Frozen River
Movie Director
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1975
Takehisa Yumeji monogatari: koi suru
Movie Director
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1975
Someday, Somewhere
Movie Screenplay
More credits
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1974
The Homeless
Movie Director
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1973
Tsugaru Folksong
Movie Director
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1973
Second Chance
Movie Director
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1973
Kigeki: koko kara hajimaru monogatari
Movie Director
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1972
Journey Into Solitude
Movie Director
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1972
Ambition in The Mirror
Movie Assistant Director
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1972
The Rendezvous
Movie Director
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1971
Kigeki: Hanayome sensô
Movie Screenplay
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1971
Tabiji: ofukuro-san yori
Movie Screenplay
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1971
Memai
Movie Director
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1971
Shadow of Deception
Movie Director
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1971
A Man's World
Movie Original Story
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1971
Secret Flower
Movie First Assistant Director
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1970
Waterfront Blues
Movie Director
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1970
Rainbow Over Paris
Movie Director
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1969
The Sea Doesn't Look Back
Movie Director
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1969
Dear Tomorrow
Movie Screenplay
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1969
Fallen Leaves and Sweet Memories
Movie Screenplay
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1968
Little Snack
Movie Director
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1968
Lemon in the Rainbow
Movie Director
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1968
The Wonderful Ones
Movie Director
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1967
Falling Blossoms
Movie Screenplay
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1967
Whispering Joe
Movie Director
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1964
Flora on the Sand
Movie Still Photographer
