Paul Schrader’s visually stunning portrait of acclaimed Japanese author and playwright Yukio Mishima (Ken Ogata) investigates the inner turmoil and contradictions of a man who attempted an impossible harmony between self, art, and society. Taking place on Mishima’s last day, when he famously committed public seppuku, the film is punctuated by flashbacks to the writer’s life as well as by stylised evocations of his fictional works. With its rich cinematography by John Bailey, exquisite sets and costumes by Eiko Ishioka, and unforgettable score by Philip Glass, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is a tribute to its subject and a bold, investigative work of art in its own right.

The screening will be introduced by William Reynolds, freelance writer and film programmer with Queer Asian Pride Ireland.

Notes by David O’Mahony