The Sun

“One of the best films of the year.”
- James Quandt, Artforum


“Wonderfully eccentric and fascinating…terrific.”
- Manohla Dargis, New York Times

“Fascinating!”
- Time Out

“A mesmerisingly mad, brilliantly intuitive study of Emperor Hirohito…remarkable, strange…daring, disturbing, and gripping.”
- Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Berlin Film Festival
New York Film Festival
Toronto Film Festival

From the director of Russian Ark, The Sun takes place in occupied Japan from late August 1945 until 1st January 1946. On the 15th of August, Emperor Hirohito made a public appeal to his people to cease military operations. Millions of Japanese were shocked to hear their Emperor’s voice for the first time in their lives.

The film portrays the events leading up to two crucial decisions made by Hirohito which were both of major historical significance. The first was the declaration of surrender from World War II, and the second was the renunciation of his divine status. During this period, the Emperor also forms an unlikely bond with the American General Douglas MacArthur who did much to resolve the situation with the minimum of victims.

The Sun makes cinematic history as it is the first time that Emperor Hirohito has been depicted intimately in film.

“…more relaxed, positive, more cheerful than Sokurov’s previous work makes for an arthouse film par excellence.”
Dan Fainaru, Screen International