2023 marks the 120th anniversary of Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu’s birth. From his early silent films to his final features in the 1960s, Ozu perfected a style that stripped away unnecessary plot mechanics and camera movement. In doing so, he produced a cinema whose surface simplicity belies character studies of depth, warmth and, on occasion, humour.

This new 2-disc set from the BFI features three newly restored films, all presented on Blu-ray in the UK for the first time. The release follows September’s extensive Ozu retrospective season at BFI Southbank.

DRAGNET GIRL [HIJŌSEN NO ONNA] (1933, 101 mins)
Sweet-faced Tokiko is an ordinary typist by day, but come nightfall she’s a fun-loving gangster’s moll. When her boyfriend strays, Tokiko is forced to reassess her life. Hugely popular when it was released, Ozu’s Dragnet Girl remains one of his most enduring silent films. Featuring a score by Ed Hughes.

RECORD OF A TENEMENT GENTLEMAN [NAGAYA SHINSHIROKU] (1947, 71 mins)
Kohei, a boy who has been abandoned by his father, develops a relationship with a widow, Tane. Although she initially resists the child, the pair begin to develop a bond amid the turbulence of post-war Tōkyō.

A HEN IN THE WIND [KAZE NO NAKE NO MENDORI] (1948, 84 mins)
In a Japan recently devastated by war, a devoted, near-destitute mother turns to prostitution to pay for her son’s medical care after he falls dangerously ill.

Three Films by Yasujirō Ozu will be released as a 2-disc Blu-ray set by the BFI on 23 October 2023 at the RRP of £24.99.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Commentary on Dragnet Girl by film historian and critic Tony Rayns
• Commentary on Record of a Tenement Gentleman by film critic and writer Jasper Sharp
• Commentary on A Hen in the Wind by film critic and writer Adrian Martin
• First pressing only: Illustrated booklet with film essays by Bryony Dixon, Tony Rayns and Jonathan Rosenbaum; an essay by composer Ed Hughes; credits

Three Films by Yasujirō Ozu is available to pre-order from the BFI Shop.