Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi • 1998 • Japan
Starring Hitomi Kuroki, Tsurutaro Kataoka, Norihei Miki

Legendary director Nobuhiko Obayashi brings his unique vision to the notorious true story of Sada Abe, the Japanese geisha whose life of hardship and sadomasochistic obsession exploded into public scandal in 1936 when she strangled her lover and cut off his genitalia as a keepsake. While the same incident famously inspired Nagisa Oshima’s controversial IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES, Obayashi’s typically offbeat, visually remarkable telling of the story differs greatly, focusing on the title character’s backstory and adopting an often darkly humorous tone.