Miwa: A Japanese Icon

"In the 1960s, Japan's most popular actress was… a man"

2013 1h 5m FR

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 6

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A legendary entertainer and a pioneer of gay activism, Miwa was born Akihiro Maruyama. As a young singer, Miwa popularized androgyny as a fashion statement, fusing the masculine and the feminine into a signal of a new generation of aesthetics. This evolved into performing as a woman and living off-stage as a man. With glitter, wit, evening gowns, and enchanting storytelling, Miwa looks back over a 50-year career and a fascinating life in music, film, and television.

“In the 1960s, Japan's most popular actress was… a man”

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Cast

Akihiro Miwa
Self
Kinji Fukasaku
Self (archive footage)
Takeshi Kitano
Self
Hayao Miyazaki
Self
Tadanori Yokoo
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Pascal-Alex Vincent
Writers: Pascal-Alex Vincent
Languages: French, Japanese
Countries: France, Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 65-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 13 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: French, Japanese.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, Japan.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Pascal-Alex Vincent, shot by Alexis Kavyrchine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Cédric Defert shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Akihiro Miwa and Kinji Fukasaku and Takeshi Kitano carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Pascal-Alex Vincent directs. Alexis Kavyrchine behind the camera. Cédric Defert cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, Japan. Dialogue in French, Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 65-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 13 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: French, Japanese.
4International production across 2 countries: France, Japan.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Directed by Pascal-Alex Vincent, shot by Alexis Kavyrchine. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Editor Cédric Defert shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Akihiro Miwa and Kinji Fukasaku and Takeshi Kitano carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "In the 1960s, Japan's most popular actress was… a man".
10IMDB entry: tt1707244 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 6 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.