Synopsis
The third and penultimate instalment in
Alexander Sokurov's tetralogy about personality and power, following
Moloch and
Taurus, delves into the fate of Japanese Emperor
Hirohito at the end of World War II. In 1945, with Japan facing defeat,
Hirohito made the unprecedented decision to renounce the divine origin of the emperor – a descendant of the Sun Goddess – shattering centuries of tradition. His actions ignited a wave of ritual suicides across Japan. The film also portrays General
Douglas MacArthur, commander of the Allied forces, as he grapples with the monumental decision of determining the fate of the captured
Hirohito and the entire imperial dynasty during the occupation of Japan. Sokurov continues to use his work as a humanises a historical figure, often seen solely through the prism of his political role. “I don’t make films about dictators, but I make films about those people who stand out more than the rest. They happened to possess ultimate power. But human frailty and passion influence their actions more than status or circumstance. Human qualities and character are higher and stronger than any historical situation.” – AS
