Saito Koichi (斎藤耕一)
Koichi SAITO (February 3, 1929 -) is a film director.
He was born in Hachioji City, Tokyo. After dropping out of Rikkyo University, he entered the Tokyo Professional School of Photographic Industry (currently Tokyo Polytechnic University). After graduation in 1949, he entered Oizumi Films (currently Toei Movie Studios) as a still photographer, and he won the 1st prize of the 'Kinema Junpo magazine Award for Still pictures' with a still photo he took called "Himeyuri no To" (The Tower of Lilies) of Tadashi IMAI.
In 1954, he was recruited by Nikkatsu corporation and put in charge of the stills for many films including those of Ko NAKAHIRA, Shohei IMAMURA and Kon ICHIKAWA. He was also a close workmate of Yujiro ISHIHARA. He also worked on a scenario for Ko NAKAHIRA's "Getsuyobi no Yuka" (Only On Mondays).
However, as he became gradually more disappointed with the disparity between his own image and the finished result, he established 'Koichi SAITO Production Co., Ltd.' using his own private funds in 1967. In the same year, he made his directorial debut with 'Sasayaki no Joe' (Whispering Joe) for which he also wrote the screenplay.
Saito subsequently directed 'kayo eiga' (pop song films) such as "Chiisana Sunakku" (We Met at a Snack Bar) for Shochiku Co., Ltd. In 1972, he improved his reputation with "Yakusoku" (The Rendezvous), a film depicting the brief love between a female prisoner on parole played by Keiko KISHI and a burglar played by Kenichi HAGIWARA. Saito released successive films including "Tabi no Omosa" (Journey Into Solitude) and "Tsugaru Jongarabushi" (Jongara) which was included in the Kinema Junpo magazine top ten, making him one of Japan's most renowned directors.
He continued to make films set against the backdrop of Japanese culture. In particular, the film "Wakkanai hatsu Manabiza" was released in 1999 and created a major sensation. This movie is based on the true story of the 'Wakkanai Minami Junior High School' which was reported by the media as 'the most troubled school in Japan' at the time, and won first prize in the Zenkoku Minyo Minbu Taikai (National Convention of Folk Songs and Dance).
He won an Award from the Ministry of Education in the Arts Incentive Prizes in 1974 and also received Shiju hosho (medal of honor with a purple ribbon) in 1994.