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1938年広島県尾道市生まれ。少年時代に８?フィルムキャメラを手に入れ、個人映画の製作を始める。上京後、画廊・ホール・大学を中心に上映された自主製作がジャーナリズムで高い評価を得る。16ｍｍ第一作『喰べた人』(63)でベルギー国際実験映画祭で審査員特別賞を受賞。この頃からテレビコマーシャルの草創期に本格的に関わり始め、チャールズ・ブロンソンの｢マンダム｣、ソフィア・ローレン、カトリーヌ・ドヌーヴなど外国人スターを多数起用、その数は2000本を超える。77年『ＨＯＵＳＥ』で劇場映画にも進出。同年の『瞳の中の訪問者』と共に“ブルーリボン新人賞”を受賞。故郷で撮影された『転校生』(82)『時をかける少女』(83)『さびしんぼう』(85)は“尾道三部作”と称され親しまれている。その他、主な作品として『ねらわれた学園』(81)『廃市』(83) 『彼のオートバイ、彼女の島』（86）『はるか、ノスタルジィ』（92）『あした』(95) 『なごり雪』（02）など。『異人たちとの夏』(88)で“毎日映画コンクール監督賞”、『北京的西瓜』（89）で“山路ふみ子監督賞”、『ふたり』（91）で“アメリカ・ファンタスティックサターン賞”、最新作の宮部みゆき原作『理由』で“日本映画批評家大賞・監督賞”と“藤本賞奨励賞”を受賞。第21回日本文芸大賞・特別賞受賞の『日日世は好日』など著書も多数。2004年春の紫綬褒章受章。

[profile]
Born in Onomichi City, Hiroshima in 1938, Obayashi acquired an 8mm movie camera as a boy and began making his own films. After moving to Tokyo his independent productions, shown largely in galleries, auditoriums and universities, garnered high praise in the press. His first 16mm film, Tabeta hito (A Person Consumed) [1963] received the Special Jury Prize at Belgium’s International Experimental Film Festival. Around this time Obayashi also became involved in the early days of television commercial production, often using foreign stars such as Charles Bronson (for Mandom), Sophia Lauren and Catherine Deneuve in his more than 2000 commercials. His theatrical film debut came in 1977 with House, which with Hitomi no naka no homonsha (The Visitor in Her Eyes), also released that year, earned him the Blue Ribbon Award for New Directors. Filmed in Obayashi’s hometown, his well-loved “Onomichi Trilogy” included Tenko-sei (Transfer Students) [1982], Toki wo kakeru shojo (The Girl Who Ran Through Time) [1983] and Sabishimbo (Lonelyheart) [1985]. Other major films Obayashi has directed include Nerawareta gakuen (School in the Crosshairs) [1981], Haishi (The Deserted City) [1983], Kare no otobai, kanojo no shima (His Motorcycle, Her Island) [1986], Haruka, nosutaruji (Haruka, Nostaligia) [1992], Ashita (Tomorrow) [1995] and Nagori yuki (Spring Snow) [2002]. Awards received include the Mainichi Film Contest Director’s Prize for Ijintachi to no natsu (Summer among the Zombies) [1988], the Fumiko Yamaji Director’s Award for Pekin no suika (Beijing Watermelon) [1989], the US Fantastic Saturn Award for Futari (Chizuko’s Younger Sister) [1991] and both the Japan Film Critics Award for Best Director and the Fujimoto Encouragement Award for his latest film Riyu (The Motive) based on a novel by Miyuki Miyabe. He has written many books, including Hibi yo ha kojitu (Every Day is Right With the World), for which he received the 21st Nihon Bungei Taisho Special Award. In spring 2004 he received the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government.