One of the most powerful of Yasujiro Ozu’s family portraits, LATE SPRING (BANSHUN) tells the story of a widowed father who feels compelled to marry off his beloved only daughter. Eminent Ozu players Chishu Ryu and Setsuko Hara command this poignant tale of love and loss in postwar Japan, which remains as potent today as ever, and a strong justification for its maker’s inclusion in the pantheon of cinema’s greatest directors.
Ryan Coogler
May 2025
1 streaming audio track
Commentary: Richard Peña
Streaming now, and why it pairs with this film
Paired by the Criterion Channel, both picked by Carl Franklin in the Criterion Closet, both on Top 10 lists by Aki Kaurismäki, Andrew Ahn and Ray Yeung, both directed by Yasujirō Ozu, and both starring Chishū Ryū, Haruko Sugimura and Setsuko Hara
Or
via Criterion Collection
