Kōzaburō Yoshimura
Biography. Born in Shiga Prefecture, he joined the Shōchiku studio in 1929. He debuted as director in 1934, but continued working as an assistant director for such filmmakers as Yasujirō Ozu and Yasujirō Shimazu after that. It was the 1939 film "Danryū" that established his status as a director. During the Sino-Japanese war he directed a number of military dramas such as "The Legend of Tank Commander Nishizumi" (1940), based on a true story, for which he toured the actual battlefields in China. His 1947 work, "A Ball at the Anjo House", starring Setsuko Hara, was named  the best picture of the year by "Kinema Junpo". That film marked the start of a long relationship with the screenwriter and film director Kaneto Shindō. In 1950, the two of them started the independent production company Kindai Eiga Kyokai. Yoshimura is credited with furthering the careers of such actresses as Fujiko Yamamoto, Machiko Kyō and Ayako Wakao. He directed over 60 films during his career, and received a Medal of Honor (Purple Ribbon) from the Japanese government in 1976.