View source for Sion Sono

{{Short description|Japanese filmmaker, author, and poet (born 1961)}}
{{redirect|Sono Sion|the car|Sono Motors Sion}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Sion Sono
| image       = Sono Shion (Love & Peace) at Opening Ceremony of the 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (21808669303).jpg 
| caption     = Sono in 2015
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1961|12|18}}
| birth_place = [[Toyokawa]], [[Aichi]], Japan
| death_date  =
| death_place =
| other_names = Takayuki Yamamoto
| occupation  = Poet, film director, screenwriter, [[cinematographer]], [[film composer]], actor, film producer
| spouse      = [[Megumi Kagurazaka]]
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Sion Sono'''|園 子温|Sono Shion|born December 18, 1961}} is a Japanese filmmaker, author, and poet. Best known on the [[Film festival|festival circuit]] for the film ''[[Love Exposure]]'' (2008), he has been called "the most subversive filmmaker working in Japanese cinema today",<ref name="TheSionSonoTHR">{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sion-sono-film-review-915591|title='The Sion Sono': Film Review|last=Tsui|first=Clarence|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|date=July 29, 2016|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref> a "[[Stakhanovite movement|stakhanovist]] filmmaker"<ref>{{cite web |last1=Acevedo |first1=Yoselin |title='Anti-Porno' Trailer: Japanese Director Sion Sono Returns with a Feminist Take on Sexuality |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/anti-porno-trailer-sion-sono-nikkatsu-1201768170/ |website=indiewire.com |date=January 12, 2017 |publisher=[[IndieWire]] |access-date=February 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Todd |title=ANTI-PORNO: First Trailer For Sono's Latest Delivers A Splash Of Color And Fetish |url=https://screenanarchy.com/2017/01/anti-porno-first-trailer-for-sonos-latest-delivers-a-splash-of-color-and-fetish.html |website=screenanarchy.com |date=January 10, 2017 |publisher=[[ScreenAnarchy]] |access-date=February 13, 2021}}</ref> with an "[[idiosyncratic]]" career.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Harvey |first1=Dennis |title=Film Review: 'Antiporno' |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/antiporno-review-1202641772/ |website=variety.com |date=December 15, 2017 |publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=February 13, 2021}}</ref>

==Early life==
Sion Sono was born in Aichi Prefecture in 1961. As he mentioned in many interviews, at the age of 17 he ran away from home and wandered the streets on the verge of starvation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hoenigman |first1=David F. |title=channeling chaos – an interview with sion sono |url=https://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/channeling-chaos-an-interview-with-sion-sono/ |website=3ammagazin.com |date=July 28, 2009 |publisher=3:AM Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Wilentz|first=David|date=September 4, 2009|title=10% True, 90% Lies: SION SONO with David Wilentz|url=https://brooklynrail.org/2009/09/film/10-true-90-lies|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=The Brooklyn Rail|language=en-US}}</ref> On his first night in Tokyo, he met a woman who lured Sono into a hotel room where she put a knife to her own throat and threatened to commit suicide if he would not help her meet her parents pretending to be her husband. Sono not only agreed but spent several weeks with her family in the countryside, but in the end the woman let him go and gave him a small amount of money. Soon, he began starving again. Then he met a priest from the [[Unification Church]] and agreed to join their cult because the priest promised Sono food and shelter. Sono spent some time in the cult but found it extremely funny how the main priest claimed to be God. Soon, Sono fled. Even though the cult was not yet as powerful as it is nowadays, it strictly prohibited its members to return into normal life and was not easy to get away from. The cultists tracked and followed the runaway. When Sono returned home, he found a letter from the cult on his table. To save himself from the cult, Sono decided to join the terrorist group that was protesting against expansion of the [[Narita International Airport]]. Almost everyday their protests grew into fights with the riot police so they were happy to take in one more young and strong soldier. Eventually, Sono managed to leave the terrorist group, and the cult members never showed up again.<ref name=saburaku>{{cite web |language  	= en
 |url     	=https://sabukaru.online/articles/introduction-to-sono-sion |title   	=An Sabukaru Introduction to Sion Sono
 |date 	=February 5, 2022 |publisher   = Sabukaru Online
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-02}}</ref><ref name=Hoenigman>{{cite web
 |author=David F Hoenigman
 |language  	= en
 |url     	= https://japantoday.com/category/features/suicide-pacts-cults-and-violence-shape-director-sion-sono|title   	=Suicide pacts, cults and violence shape director Sion Sono
 |publisher   = Japan Today
 |date    	= 2009-06-23
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-02}}</ref>

Upon returning home, Sono entered [[Hosei University]]. During his student years he tried himself as a poet and even was published in magazines ''Eureka'' and ''The Modern Poem Book''. Then he also started taking his first steps in film directing, making a series of short films on [[Super 8 film|Super 8]].<ref name=saburaku/><ref name=Hoenigman/>

==Career==

=== 1980s – 2000s ===

In 1985, Sono's short film ''Ore wa Sono Sion da!!'', in which he introduced himself as a punk poet,<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Michael Rosser
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.screendaily.com/berlin-completes-forum-line-up-focus-on-punk-japanese-films/5099350.article |title       =Berlin completes Forum line-up; focus on punk Japanese films
 |publisher   = Screen Daily
 |date        = 2016-01-26
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-09}}</ref> was selected for the [[Pia Film Festival]]. Two years later, in 1987 Sono won the PFF Gran Prix with his film ''Otoko no Hanamichi'' (''A Man's flower road''). The PFF scholarship he spent to create the next movie, his first feature-length 16&nbsp;mm film ''Bicycle Sighs'' (''Jitensha Toiki''), a coming-of-age tale about two underachievers in perfectionist Japan. Sono co-wrote, directed, and starred in the film.<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Kathie Smith
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://inreviewonline.com/2016/08/04/a-mans-flower-road/
|title       =A Man's Flower Road by Sion Sono
 |publisher   = In Review Online
 |date        = 2016-08-04
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-02}}</ref><ref name=madmuseum>{{cite web
 |author=
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://madmuseum.org/series/sion-sono
|title       =Sion Sono: The New Poet
 |publisher   = Museum of Arts and Design
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-02}}</ref>

In 1990, Sono moved to [[San Francisco]], and was admitted to [[University of California, Berkeley]]; however, he never attended class, or learned English, instead spending his time watching B-movies and porno movies.<ref name=3AM/> Soon he dropped his studies and moved to San Francisco, in his own words, "to study movies". As he explained in interviews, he wanted to "clear his head from classic cinema". Upon return to Japan, he ventured into the creation of unconventional, "dark entertainment" art-house.{{sfn|Hjelm|2021|p=12}}<ref name=3AM>{{cite web
 |author=David F. Hoenigman
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/channeling-chaos-an-interview-with-sion-sono/ |title       =Channeling Chaos – An Interview with Sion Sono
 |publisher   = 3:AM Magazine
 |date        = 2009-07-28
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-02}}</ref><ref name="TheSionSonoTHR"/>

In Japan, he wrote and directed his second feature film, ''The Room'' (''Heya'') (1992), a bizarre tale about a serial killer looking for a room in a bleak, doomed Tokyo district. It participated in the [[Sundance Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=1985–1996 Sundance Film Festival|url=http://www.sundance.org/pdf/press-releases/sff-85-96.pdf|access-date=November 12, 2020|website=Sundance Institute|page=16}}</ref> ''The Room'' also toured on 49 festivals worldwide, including the [[Berlin Film Festival]] and the [[Rotterdam Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/apsa-academy-members/sion-sono |title       =Japan: Sion Sono
 |publisher   = Asia Pacific Screen Awards
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-09}}</ref>

In 1993–1995, Sono's main project was an art-group named ''Tokyo GAGAGA''.<ref name=gagaga>{{cite web
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.tokyoreporter.com/japan-news/national/bad-film-for-bad-people-sion-sonos-latest-pic-looks-back-at-tokyo-in-1995/ |title       ='Bad Film' for bad people: Sion Sono looks back at Tokyo in 1995
 |publisher   = Tokyo Reporter
 |date        = 2012-11-27
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref> Armed only with their creative ideas and art, group members ‘led a guerilla war against normalization of solitude and loneliness in everyday life’. They seized the busiest streets of Tokyo and filled them with installations and banners.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web
 |author=Pairez, J.
 |language  	= en
 |url     	=https://www.tokyoartbeat.com/en/articles/-/sion-sonos-whispering-star-the-return-to-present-a-brief-visit-to-dystopia |title   	=Sion Sono's "Whispering Star"—The Return to Present: A Brief Visit to Dystopia
 |publisher   =Tokyo Art Beat
 |date    	=2015-08-12
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref><ref name=Jarzemsky/>

In the following years, Sono directed works such as the drama ''[[I Am Keiko]]'' (1997),<ref>{{cite web
 |language      = en
 |url         = https://www.torinofilmfest.org/en/29-torino-film-festival/film/keiko-desu-kedo/9158/|title       =KEIKO DESU KEDO (I AM KEIKO) by Sion Sono
 |publisher   =29 Torino Film Festival
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-09}}</ref> the faux-documentary ''Utsushimi'' (2000), and the [[pink film]] ''Teachers of Sexual Play: Modelling Vessels with the Female Body'' (2000).<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Lynch, M.
 |language      = en
 |url         = https://inreviewonline.com/2016/08/11/teachers-of-sexual-play/|title       =Teachers of Sexual Play: Modelling Urns With the Female Body by Sion Sono
 |publisher   = In Review Online
 |date        = 2016-08-11
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-09}}</ref> Also in 2000, Sono released an experimental short film ''0cm4'', contemplating on colourblindness and epistemology.<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Swapnil Dhruv Bose
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/0cm4-sion-sono-short-colourblindness/ |title       ='0cm4': Sion Sono's exploration of colourblindness and epistemology
 |publisher   = Farout Magazine
 |date        = 2023-01-13
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-09}}</ref>

In 2001, Sono wrote and directed the horror film [[Suicide Club (film)|''Suicide Club'']], his breakthrough feature, which follows a series of interconnected [[mass suicide]]s. The film was very successful, gaining considerable notoriety in film festivals (including winning the Prize for "Most Ground-Breaking Film" at the 2003 [[Fantasia Festival|Fantasia Film Festival]]), and developing a significant [[Cult classic|cult following]] over the years, even spawning a [[manga]] adaptation, as well as a [[Suicide Circle: The Complete Edition|companion piece novel]] written by Sono himself. In 2005, Sono released ''[[Noriko's Dinner Table]]'', a prequel to ''Suicide Club'', which also received acclaim. The film received special mention at the 40th [[Karlovy Vary International Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Závěrečná tisková zpráva (9. 7. 2005) |date=July 9, 2005 |page=2 |url=https://www.kviff.com/img/history/2005/zaverecna-tiskova-zprava-40-rocnik.pdf |access-date=March 18, 2021 |trans-title=Final press release (July 9, 2005) |publisher=[[KVIFF]] |language=cs}}</ref>

In 2005, Sono also released three other films: ''[[Into a Dream]]'' (''Yume no Naka e''), a coming-of-age tale about the life of a theatre group member, ''[[Hazard (2005 film)|Hazard]]'', a crime film shot in New York City, (which was wide released in 2006) and ''[[Strange Circus]]'', where Sono worked not only as director and writer, but also as composer and cinematographer. In 2006, he wrote and directed the drama film ''Balloon Club, Afterwards''. In 2007, he wrote and directed the horror film ''[[Exte: Hair Extensions]]''.<ref name=asiapacific>{{cite web
 |language  	= en
 |url     	=https://www.asiapacificscreenawards.com/apsa-nominees-winners/2009/best-director/sion-sono-love-exposure-ai-no-mukidashi |title   	=Sion Sono for Love Exposure (Ai no Mukidashi)
 |publisher   =Asia Pacific Screen Awards
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-02}}</ref>

In 2008, Sono directed and wrote the 237 minutes-long epic ''[[Love Exposure]]'', which is widely considered his most acclaimed and popular work to date. The film won the Caligari Film Award and the [[International Federation of Film Critics|FIPRESCI Prize]] at [[Berlin International Film Festival]], as well as the Best Asian Film award at the [[Fantasia International Film Festival|Fantasia Film Festival]]. Almost a decade later, Sono would release an extended mini-series version of the film titled, ''Love Exposure: The TV-Show''. ''Love Exposure'' was the first film in Sono's thematic "Hate" trilogy. In 2009, Sono directed the dramas ''[[Be Sure to Share]]'' and ''Make The Last Wish''.<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Schilling, M.
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2009/02/06/films/telling-a-lengthy-tale-of-lust-and-religion/ |title       =Telling a lengthy tale of lust and religion
 |publisher   = The Japan Times
 |date        = 2009-02-06
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |author=Hopkins, K.
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.japannakama.co.uk/the-chaos-of-sion-sonos-love-exposure/ |title       =The Chaos of Sion Sono's Love Exposure
 |date = January 5, 2022
 |publisher   = Japan Nakama
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |author=Sharp, J.
 |language  	= en
 |url             =https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-japanese-films-21st-century |title   	=10 great Japanese films of the 21st century
 |publisher   =Film Forever
 |date    	=2015-09-10
 |archive-url 	= https://web.archive.org/web/20170510142014/http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/10-great-japanese-films-21st-century
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04|url-status=live
 |archive-date 	= May 10, 2017
 }}</ref>

=== 2010s and further ===

''Love Exposure'' was followed by the second and third installments, ''[[Cold Fish]]'', released in 2010, and ''[[Guilty of Romance]]'', released in 2011; both were acclaimed, and gained him the Best Director awards at the [[Yokohama Film Festival]] and the [[Hochi Film Award]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/19113|title='Suicide Club' Director Gets Behind Camera for 'Cold Fish'|date=February 15, 2010|publisher=BloodyDisgusting}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.anothermag.com/design-living/12749/five-controversial-arthouse-features-japanese-filmmaker-sion-sono-bfi-japan-2020 |title       =Five Controversial Arthouse Features from Japanese Filmmaker Sion Sono
 |publisher   = Another Magazine
 |date        = August 20, 2020
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref> 2011 saw Sono be recognized in the United States with his work being highlighted in the cinema series ''Sion Sono: The New Poet'' presented at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sion Sono: The New Poet|url=http://www.madmuseum.org/series/sion-sono|website=Museum of Arts and Design|access-date=August 5, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Abrams|first1=Simon|title=Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono is not big on faith and family|url=http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/culture/2011/10/3746701/japanese-filmmaker-sion-sono-not-big-faith-and-family|website=Capital|access-date=August 5, 2015}}</ref>

In 2011 and 2012 respectively, Sono released two drama films inspired by the [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster|2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster]] and [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|Tohoku Earthquake]]: ''[[Himizu (film)|Himizu]]''<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Miriam Bale
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/14/movies/himizu-by-sion-sono-offers-a-dystopian-vision.html |title       =In Japan, Two Teenagers Bond in a Chaotic, Violent World
 |publisher   = The NY Times
 |date        = 2014-03-13
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-09}}</ref> and ''[[The Land of Hope (2012 film)|The Land of Hope]].'' The films were praised for their simplicity and seriousness compared to Sono's other works, and ''Himizu'' won the Marcello Mastroianni Award at the [[68th Venice International Film Festival]]. In 2012, Sono edited and released the film ''[[BAD FILM]]'' using footage from the production of a massive unreleased underground film he shot in 1995 starring the performance collective Tokyo GAGAGA.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name=gagaga/><ref name=Jarzemsky>{{cite web
 |author=Jarzemsky, J.
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://screenanarchy.com/2013/07/nyaff-2013-review-sono-sions-bad-film-is-by-no-means-that.html |title       =NYAFF 2013 Review: Sono Sion's BAD FILM Is By No Means That
 |publisher   = Screen Anarchy
 |date        = 2013-07-16
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref>

In 2013, he directed the action-drama ''[[Why Don't You Play in Hell?]]'', which was an international success, winning the People's Choice Award in the Midnight Madness section at the [[2013 Toronto International Film Festival]], and being distributed by the American company [[Drafthouse Films]].<ref>{{cite web
 |language 	 = en
 |url		 =https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/why-dont-you-play-hell-617506/ |title  	 =Why Don't You Play in Hell? (Jigoku de naze warui): Venice Review
 |publisher   = The Hollywood reporter
 |date   	 = 2013-08-29
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |language 	 = en
 |url		 =https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/tiff/2013/09/15/tiff_2013_12_years_a_slave_wins_top_prize_at_film_fest.html |title  	 =TIFF 2013: 12 Years a Slave wins film fest's top prize
 |publisher   = Toronto Star
 |date   	 = 2013-09-15
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-01}}</ref> In 2014, he directed ''[[Tokyo Tribe]]'', a hip-hop [[Musical film|musical]] adaptation of the [[Tokyo Tribes|manga of the same name]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-08-20/live-action-tokyo-tribe-film-trailer-features-a-rap-battle/.77794|title= Live-Action Tokyo Tribe Film's Trailer Features a Rap Battle|date= August 20, 2014|access-date= June 3, 2015|work= [[Anime News Network]]}}</ref>

In 2015, five films directed by Sono were released: ''[[Shinjuku Swan]]'', an action yakuza film, [[Love & Peace (film)|''Love & Peace'']], a [[tokusatsu]] fantasy drama,<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Panos Kotzathanasis
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://asianmoviepulse.com/2020/12/film-review-love-and-peace-2015-by-sion-sono/ |title       =Film Review: Love and Peace (2015) by Sion Sono
 |publisher   = Asian Movie Pulse
 |date        = 2020-12-24
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref> [[Tag (2015 film)|''Tag'']], an action horror film which was named Best Film of the year at the [[Fantasia International Film Festival|Fantasia Film Festival]],<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Schilling, M.
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2015/07/01/films/film-reviews/sion-sono-back-buckets-blood-three-faced-heroine-tag/ |title       =Sion Sono is back with buckets of blood and a three-faced heroine in 'Tag'
 |publisher   = Japan Times
 |date        = 2015-07-01
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref> and the [[Fancine Málaga|Fancine Malaga]], ''[[The Virgin Psychics]]'', an adaptation of the science fiction comedy manga series ''[[All Esper Dayo!]]'' by Kiminori Wakasugi, and ''[[The Whispering Star]]'', a science fiction film which won the [[Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema|NETPAC Award]] at the [[2015 Toronto International Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Mintzer, J.
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/whispering-star-hiso-hiso-boshi-822545/ |title       ='The Whispering Star' ('Hiso Hiso Boshi'): TIFF Review
 |publisher   = The Hollywood Reporter
 |date        = 2015-09-12
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref>

In 2016, Sono was one of the directors chosen by [[Nikkatsu]] for its [[Pink film|Roman Porno]] Reboot project, which asked five Japanese filmmakers to make a film that abided by the same rules as the studio's popular softcore pornography films released in the 1970s. Sono's film, the surrealist ''[[Antiporno]]'', was praised for its exploration of female sexuality and contemplations on such topics as freedom and addiction, [[patriarchy]], [[sexual objectification]].{{sfn|Hjelm|2021|p=12-13, 25-33}}<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Acevedo|first1=Yoselin|date=January 12, 2017|title='Anti-Porno' Trailer: Japanese Director Sion Sono Returns with a Feminist Take on Sexuality|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/anti-porno-trailer-sion-sono-nikkatsu-1201768170/|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=IndieWire|language=en}}</ref>

In 2017, Sono directed a sequel to ''Shinjuku Swan'', ''[[Shinjuku Swan II]]''. In the same year, he wrote and directed a 9-part horror mini-series titled ''[[Tokyo Vampire Hotel]]'', which was produced and released to streaming by [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]. A special feature-length cut of the show running 2 hours and 22 minutes was shown at various festivals. Also he made a cameo appearance in Meisekimu Genshi's short film ''[[Ami. exe]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cinema Nippon|date=|title="ami.exe": A Glitch in Japanese Film|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV2rEgIYAmQ&t=5s|access-date=January 10, 2021|website=www.google.com}}</ref>

In 2018, it was announced that Sono was working on his first overseas production and English-language debut, a film titled ''[[Prisoners of the Ghostland]]'', starring [[Nicolas Cage]], which was described by Cage as "the wildest movie I've ever made."<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Nordine|first1=Michael|date=December 14, 2018|title=Nicolas Cage Calls 'Prisoners of the Ghostland' 'The Wildest Movie I've Ever Made'|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2018/12/nicolas-cage-prisoners-of-the-ghostland-sion-sono-1202028122/|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=IndieWire|language=en}}</ref> In 2019, Sono was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery following a heart attack, temporarily halting pre-production on the film.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Japanese Auteur Sion Sono Hospitalized After Heart Attack {{!}} Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sion-sono-suffers-heart-attack-1184182|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=www.hollywoodreporter.com|date=February 7, 2019}}</ref><ref name=indie>{{cite web
 |author=Ehrlich, D.
 |language  	= en
 |url     	= https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-forest-of-love-review-sion-sono-netflix-1202181364/|title   	='The Forest of Love' Review: Sono Sion's Hyper-Violent Netflix Epic About School Girls and Serial Killers
 |publisher   =IndieWire
 |date    	=2019-10-14
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref>

In 2019, [[Netflix]] released ''[[The Forest of Love]]'', a crime film written, directed and co-edited by Sono, inspired by the murders of Japanese serial killer [[Futoshi Matsunaga]]. An extended, mini-series version of the film, titled ''The Forest of Love: Deep Cut'' was also released. In 2020, Sono wrote, directed and edited the film ''[[Red Post on Escher Street]]'', which followed a film director's efforts to complete a film, and won the People's Choice Award at the [[Festival du nouveau cinéma|Montreal Festival of New Cinema.]]<ref>{{Citation|title=Escher dori no akai posuto – IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt13245934/awards|access-date=November 15, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |author=Erlich, D.
 |language      = en
 |url         =https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/red-post-on-escher-street-review-sion-sono-1234615595/ |title       ='Red Post on Escher Street' Review: Sion Sono's Exhilarating Comedy Argues There Are No Extras in Life
 |publisher   = Indie Wire
 |date        = 2021-02-08
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-05}}</ref>

Sono co-wrote the 2022 film ''Moshikashite, Hyūhyū'', credited under the pseudonym "Takayuki Yamamoto" to obscure his involvement.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://smart-flash.jp/showbiz/208568|script-title=ja:園子温 12月公開映画に「脚本・山本孝之」でステルス復帰！妻・神楽坂恵も"偽名"は「事実」と認める|work=Smart Flash|language=ja|date=November 7, 2022|access-date=November 8, 2022}}</ref>

=== Television ===
Sono has director and writer credits for two episodes and acted in one episode of the 2006 comedy television mini-series ''Jikō Keisatsu'' (''Prescription Police'') and wrote one episode of the 2007 series ''Kaette Kita Jikō keisatsu'' (''Before Prescription Police''). He directed, wrote, and acted in an episode of the 2013 series ''[[Minna! ESPer Dayo! (TV series)|Minna! ESPer Dayo!]]'' and directed its 2015 television special continuation ''[[All Esper Dayo! SP]]''. Sono directed and wrote the 2017 [[Amazon original series|Amazon original mini-series]] ''[[Tokyo Vampire Hotel]]''.

==Reception==
In ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', Clarence Tsui writes that Sono has "established himself as one of the most idiosyncratic artists of his generation".<ref name="TheSionSonoTHR"/> Often considered a provocateur, Mike Hale of ''[[The New York Times]]'' argues that he is "the most recognizable, if not the most universally celebrated, director in Japan", which Sono himself explains by stating (in Hale's words) that Japanese critics generally "reserve their approval for work that doesn't 'embarrass' the nation." The director has said, "I do think an international audience understands my work more."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/movies/at-japan-cuts-festival-films-by-sion-sono-that-dont-fit-his-bad-boy-label.html?_r=0|title=At Japan Cuts Festival, Films by Sion Sono That Don't Fit His Bad-Boy Label|last=Hale|first=Mike|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 12, 2016|access-date=February 14, 2017}}</ref> Sono is considered an [[auteur]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Japanese Auteur Sion Sono to Direct Netflix Series {{!}} Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/japanese-auteur-sion-sono-direct-netflix-series-1148194|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=www.hollywoodreporter.com|date=October 2018}}</ref> with his style being characterized by features such as grotesque violence, extreme eroticism, philosophical references, surreal imagery, and complex narratives. Sono's portrayal of women has been a subject of discussion, with some considering his works [[Misogyny|misogynist]], and others claiming they are [[Feminism|feminist]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dazed|date=December 1, 2017|title=Your guide to controversial Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/38257/1/sion-sono-is-japans-most-transgressive-filmmaker|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=Dazed|language=en}}</ref> Common themes in his works include sex, cinema, cynicism, and modern Japanese society. Sono's work has often been described as belonging to, or being inspired by, the [[ero guro nansensu]] genre.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lazarus|first=Lady|date=June 16, 2015|title=Deviant Desires: Erotic Grotesque Nonsense. Part 1 (Introduction)|url=https://jenniferlinton.com/2015/06/16/deviant-desires-erotic-grotesque-nonsense-part-1-introduction/|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=Lady Lazarus|language=en}}</ref>

== Sexual misconduct allegations ==
On April 4, 2022, women's magazine ''Shūkan Josei'' reported allegations by two actresses and rumors inside the Japanese film industry that Sono has sexually harassed and made unwanted advances towards actresses for years.

Sono released a statement on his website apologizing to everyone he may have disturbed and admitting his "lack of consideration and respect for others" as a filmmaker, but denied many of the allegations and said he would defend himself in court.<ref>{{cite web
 |language      = en
 |url         = https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/04/06/national/sono-sexual-harrassment/|title       =Japan film director Sion Sono accused of sexual harassment
 |publisher   = Japan Times
 |date        = 2022-04-06
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-04}}</ref> On May 18, 2022, Sono sued the publisher of ''Shūkan Josei'' for damages.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://digital.asahi.com/articles/ASQ5M64B3Q5MUCVL040.html|script-title=ja:園子温監督、週刊女性側を提訴 「性行為強要」の記事「事実異なる」|work=The Asahi Shimbun|language=ja|date=May 19, 2022|access-date=May 24, 2022}}</ref>

Sono Sion and ''Shūkan Josei'' reached a settlement on February 1, 2024, in which ''Shuukan Josei'' agreed to delete two articles from April 2022 that originally made the allegations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-01 |title=園子温氏、"性加害疑惑"週刊誌訴訟で和解を報告「記事は全文削除されております」【コメント全文】 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2312796/full/ |access-date=2024-02-01 |website=ORICON NEWS}}</ref>

==Awards==
Sono received the following awards for his films:
* 2003: [[Fantasia International Film Festival]] – Most Ground-Breaking Film and Fantasia Ground-Breaker Award (''Suicide Club'')
* 2005: [[Karlovy Vary International Film Festival]] – Don Quijote Award and Special Mention (''Noriko's Dinner Table'')
* 2006: [[Berlin International Film Festival]] – Reader Jury of the "Berliner Zeitung" (''Strange Circus'')
* 2007: [[Austin Fantastic Fest]] – Best Film (''Exte'')
* 2009: Berlin International Film Festival – [[International Federation of Film Critics|FIPRESCI Prize]] and Caligari Film Award (''Love Exposure'')
* 2009: Fant-Asia Film Festival – Best Asian Film, Most Innovative Film and Special Jury Prize (''Love Exposure'')
* 2010: [[Mainichi Film Concours]] – Best Director (''Love Exposure'')
* 2015: [[Fantasia International Film Festival]] – Cheval Noir Award for Best Film (''Tag'')<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/19th-fantasia-international-film-festival-announces-2015-winners-20150805|title=19th Fantasia International Film Festival Announces 2015 Winners|date=August 5, 2015|publisher=IndieWire}}</ref>
* 2015: [[Fantasia International Film Festival]] – Special Mention for its creative, surprising and monumental opening kill sequence (''Tag'')<ref name="auto"/>
* 2015: [[Fantasia International Film Festival]] – Audience Award for Best Asian Feature (''Love and Peace'')<ref name="auto"/>
* 2015: [[Toronto International Film Festival]] – [[Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema|NETPAC]] Award for World or International Asian Film Premiere (''The Whispering Star'')<ref>{{cite press release |date=September 20, 2015 |access-date=September 21, 2015 |title=Toronto International Film Festival Announces 2015 Award Winners |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/presscontent.tiff.net/docs/48vk20_Festival_Awards_2015__8877337_1442771061.pdf |publisher=TIFF}}</ref>

Sono also received the following nominations for his films:
* 2005: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – [[Crystal Globe (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)|Crystal Globe]] (''Noriko's Dinner Table'')
* 2009: [[Asia Pacific Screen Awards]] – Achievement in Directing (''Love Exposure'')
* 2010: [[Asian Film Awards]] – Best Director (''Love Exposure'')<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0814469/awards|title=Sion Sono|website=IMDb|access-date=November 14, 2018}}</ref>

==Filmography==

=== Feature films ===

Sion Sono's filmography includes:<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Giampiero Raganelli
 |language      = en
 |url         = https://www.rapportoconfidenziale.org/?p=17240|title       =Intervista a Sion Sono
 |publisher   = Rapporto Confidenziale
 |date        = 2011-12-23
 |accessdate  = 2022-05-10}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2|Year !! rowspan=2|Title !! style="width: 8rem;" rowspan=2|Distributor !! colspan=3|Credited as !! style="width: 10rem;" rowspan=2|Notes !! rowspan=2|Ref.
|-
! Director !! Screenwriter !! Actor
|-
| rowspan=2|1986 || ''A Man's Flower Road'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}  ||  || 
|-
| ''Happiness Avenue'' || || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}}  ||  ||
|-
| 1988 || ''Decisive Match! Boys Dorm vs Girls Dorm'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} ||  || 
|-
| 1990 || ''Bicycle Sighs'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || Co-written with Hisashi Saito. || 
|-
| 1991 || ''I Hate You... Not'' || || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} ||  || 
|-
| 1992 || ''Heya'' (''The Room'') || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| 1994 || ''Otaku'' || || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || || 
|-
| 1997 || ''Keiko Desukedo'' (''I Am Keiko'') || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| 1998 || ''Dankon: The Man'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| 1999 || ''Kōshoku Fūfu: Susutte Hoshii'' || || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} ||  ||
|-
| rowspan=3|2000 || ''[[Blind Beast vs. Killer Dwarf]]'' || [[Teruo Ishii|Teruo Ishii Productions]], Slow Learner (Japan), [[Eleven Arts]] (USA) || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} ||  || 
|-
| ''Seigi no tatsujin: Nyotai tsubo saguri'' (''Teachers of Sexual Play: Modelling Urns with the Female Body'') || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} ||  ||
|-
| ''Utsushimi'' (''The Real Body'') || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || Credited as [[cinematographer]]. || 
|-
| 2001 || ''[[Suicide Club (film)|Suicide Club]]'' || Earthrise (Japan), [[TLA Releasing]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| 2004 || ''Nō-pantsu gāruzu: Movie box-ing2 : Otona ni Nattara'' (''No Pants Girls: Movie Box-ing2'') || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Anthology series. || 
|-
| rowspan=4|2005 || ''[[Into a Dream]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || || 
|-
| ''[[Noriko's Dinner Table]]'' || [[Eleven Arts]] (global), Tidepoint Pictures || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| ''[[Hazard (2005 film)|Hazard]]'' || Evokative Films, [[Eleven Arts]]|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || With Kazuyoshi Kumakiri as contributing writer. Also cameo. ||
|-
| ''[[Strange Circus]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Credited as composer, [[cinematographer]]. ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2006 || ''Balloon Club Revisited'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || || 
|-
| ''Damejin'' || || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} ||  ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2007 || ''[[Exte]]'' || [[Toei Company]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Screenplay written with Masaki Adachi, Makoto Sanada. ||
|-
| ''The Insects Unlisted in the Encyclopedia'' || || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} || Credited as composer. ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2008 || ''[[Love Exposure]]'' || Omega Project || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| ''[[Tokyo Gore Police]]'' ||  || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}} ||  ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2009 || ''[[Be Sure to Share]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| ''Make the Last Wish'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} ||  Cameo. || 
|-
| 2010 || ''[[Cold Fish]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Co-written with Yoshiki Takahashi. || 
|-
| rowspan=2|2011 || ''[[Himizu (film)|Himizu]]'' || Gaga || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| ''[[Guilty of Romance]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Story written by Mizue Kunizane.  || 
|-
| rowspan=2|2012 || ''[[The Land of Hope (2012 film)|The Land of Hope]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} ||  || 
|-
| ''Bad Film'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || Credited as Film editor. Shot in 1995, released in 2012. || 
|-
| 2013 || ''[[Why Don't You Play in Hell?]]'' || [[Drafthouse Films]] (USA) || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Credited as composer. || 
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Tokyo Tribe (film)|Tokyo Tribe]]'' || [[Nikkatsu]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || Cameo. ||
|-
| rowspan=5|2015 || ''[[Shinjuku Swan (film)|Shinjuku Swan]]'' || [[Sony Pictures Entertainment]] || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || ||
|-
| ''[[Love & Peace (film)|Love & Peace]]'' || [[Asmik Ace Entertainment]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || ||
|-
| ''[[Tag (2015 film)|Tag]]'' || [[Shochiku]], [[Asmik Ace Entertainment]], [[Universal Pictures|Universal Pictures Japan]] {{small|(via [[NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan]])}}|| {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || ||
|-
| ''[[The Virgin Psychics]]'' || Gaga || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || ||
|-
| ''[[The Whispering Star]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Credited as producer. ||
|-
| 2016 || ''[[Antiporno]]'' || [[Nikkatsu]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Credited as producer. ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2017|| ''[[Tokyo Vampire Hotel]]'' || [[Amazon Video]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || ||
|-
| ''[[Shinjuku Swan II]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || ||
|-
| 2018 || ''Red Blade'' || || {{no}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Screenplay by Toshiki Kimura (as Ichirô Ryû), story by Sion Sono (as Shion Sono). ||
|-
| 2019 || ''[[The Forest of Love]]'' || [[Netflix]] || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2020 || ''State of Emergency'' || [[Amazon Studios]] || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} || Anthology series. ||<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemacafe.net/article/2020/07/29/68232.html|title= 斎藤工＆ムロツヨシ＆夏帆らが参加、オムニバス映画『緊急事態宣言』配信|access-date= August 11, 2020|work= Cinema Cafe|date= July 29, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Red Post on Escher Street]]'' || || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || Credited as Film Editor (as Shion Sono). ||
|-
| 2021 || ''[[Prisoners of the Ghostland]]'' || [[RLJE Films]] || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}} ||First English-language film ||<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thewrap.com/sundance-2021-what-sold-so-far-coda-flee-photos/ |title=Sundance 2021: What Has Sold So Far, From 'CODA' to 'Flee' (Photos) |website=[[TheWrap]] |first=Brian |last=Welk |date=January 31, 2021 |access-date=January 31, 2021}}</ref>
|}

=== Short films ===
{|class="wikitable"
! rowspan=2|Year !! rowspan=2|Title !! colspan=3|Credited as
|-
! director !! screenWriter !! Actor 
|-
| 1984 || ''Love Songs'' || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{yes}}
|-
| 1985 || ''I Am Sion Sono!!'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}
|-
| 1986 || ''Love'' ||  {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}}
|-
| 1995 || ''Vagina and Virgin'' || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}
|-
| 1998 || ''Kaze'' (''Wind'') || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}
|-
| 2001 || ''0cm4'' ||  {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}
|-
| 2001 || ''Father's Day'' ||  {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}}
|-
| 2010 || ''Karma'' || {{no}} || {{yes}}{{efn|name=a|Story by Alex Paille}} || {{no}}
|-
| 2013 || ''[[Venice 70: Future Reloaded]]''{{efn|name=b|Anthology series.}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}}
|-
| 2016 || ''[[Madly (2016 film)|Madly]]''{{efn|name=b}} || {{yes}} || {{no}} || {{no}}
|-
<!-- As far as I can tell, 'Ami. exe' and 'ami.exe' are not typos. -->
| 2017 || ''Ami. exe''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6725226/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719023848/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6725226/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1|url-status=dead|title=Ami. exe|date=August 29, 2017|archivedate=July 19, 2022|via=IMDb}}</ref> || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}}
|-
| 2018 || ''ami.exe''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8695258/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719023849/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8695258/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3|url-status=dead|title=ami.exe · v.?.?|date=April 21, 2018|archivedate=July 19, 2022|via=IMDb}}</ref> || {{no}} || {{no}} || {{yes}}
|-
| 2018 || ''The Bastard and the Beautiful World''{{efn|name=b}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}
|-
| 2020 || ''The Lonely 19:00''{{efn|name=b}} || {{yes}} || {{yes}} || {{no}}
|}

==Bibliography==
* ''Tokyo Gagaga'' (1993)
* ''Furo de Yomu Gendai Shi Nyuumon'' (2000)
* ''[[Jisatsu Saakuru: Kanzenban]]'' (2002)
* ''Jikou Keisatsu'' (2002)
* ''Yume no Naka e'' (2005)

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Literature ==
*{{cite journal
| last1      = Fredriksson
| first1     = Erik
| date       = 2020
| title      = Ero-Guro-Nansensu in the Japanese Horror Films House, Suicide Club and Dead Sushi
| url        = https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1391805/FULLTEXT01.pdf
| journal    = Dalarna University
}}
*{{cite journal
| last1      = Hjelm 
| first1     = Zara Luna
| date       = 2021
| title      =Embodying the sexed posthuman body of becoming in Sion Sono's Antiporno (アンチポルノ, 2016) and Mika Ninagawa's Helter Skelter (ヘルタースケルター, 2012)
| url        = https://www.academia.edu/49435220
| journal    = Linköping University
}}
*{{cite journal
| last1  	=Yujie
| first1 	=Lu
| date   	=2019
| title  	=Lacan's Theory of the Mirror Stage about Sion Sono Film Language
| url    	=http://www.ijssu.com/Papers/Vol%202,%20No%204%20(IJSSU%202019).pdf#page=18
| journal	=International Journal of Social Sciences in Universities
| volume 	=2
| issue  	=4
| pages  	=14–19
}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Japan|Film}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Sono Shion}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060617133020/http://www.sonosion.com/ Official website]
* {{IMDb name|0814469}}
* {{jmdb name|0043370}}

{{Sion Sono}}
{{Hochi Film Award for Best Director}}
{{Yokohama Film Festival Best Director}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sono, Sion}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Japanese poets]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese poets]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese male writers]]
[[Category:Japanese fantasy film directors]]
[[Category:Japanese horror film directors]]
[[Category:Japanese male poets]]
[[Category:People from Toyokawa, Aichi]]
[[Category:Writers from Aichi Prefecture]]