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IMDbPro

Sion Sono

  • Director
  • Writer
  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Sion Sono in Madly (2016)
In the treacherous frontier city of Samurai Town, a ruthless bank robber (Nicolas Cage) is sprung from jail by wealthy warlord The Governor (Bill Moseley), whose adopted granddaughter Bernice (Sofia Boutella) has gone missing. The Governor offers the prisoner his freedom in exchange for retrieving the runaway. Strapped into a leather suit that will self-destruct within five days, the bandit sets off on a journey to find the young woman -- and his own path to redemption.
Play trailer2:03
Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)
3 Videos
1 Photo
Shion Sono is a Japanese director, writer and poet. Born in Aichi Perfecture in 1961 he started his career working as a poet before taking his first steps in film directing. As a student he shot a series of short films in Super 8 and managed to make his first feature films in the late 80s and early 90s, in which he also starred. The film that helped him reach a wider international audience and establish himself as a cult director is Love Exposure (2008) , released in 2008. Ai no mukidashi is the first installment of Sono's Trilogy of Hate followed by Cold Fish (2010) and concluded with Guilty of Romance (2011). The films of Shion Sono often tell the stories of socially marginalized teenagers or young adults who end up engaging in activities that involve murders, sexual abuse and criminal behavior. Sono's films in most of the cases contain scenes filled with graphic violence and blood that echo the long pinku eiga and anime tradition of Japanese cinema.
BornDecember 18, 1961
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornDecember 18, 1961
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 28 wins & 30 nominations total

    Known for

    Hikari Mitsushima, Takahiro Nishijima, and Sakura Andô in Love Exposure (2008)
    Love Exposure
    8.0
    • Director
    • 2008
    Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)
    Why Don't You Play in Hell?
    7.1
    • Director
    • 2013
    Suicide Club (2001)
    Suicide Club
    6.5
    • Director
    • 2001
    Denden and Mitsuru Fukikoshi in Cold Fish (2010)
    Cold Fish
    7.1
    • Director
    • 2010

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Director



    • Nicolas Cage in Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)
      Prisoners of the Ghostland
      4.2
      • Director (directed by)
      • 2021
    • Red Post on Escher Street (2020)
      Red Post on Escher Street
      7.2
      • Director (as Shion Sono)
      • 2020
    • Takumi Saitô in Kokoduna 19-ji (2020)
      Kokoduna 19-ji
      6.0
      Short
      • Director
      • 2020
    • The Forest of Love: Deep Cut (2020)
      The Forest of Love: Deep Cut
      6.8
      TV Mini Series
      • Director
      • 2020
    • The Forest of Love (2019)
      The Forest of Love
      6.2
      • Director
      • 2019
    • Tadanobu Asano, Gorô Inagaki, Shingo Katori, and Tsuyoshi Kusanagi in The Bastard and the Beautiful World (2018)
      The Bastard and the Beautiful World
      4.9
      • Director (segment "Don't Shoot the Pianist!")
      • 2018
    • Tokyo Vampire Hotel (2017)
      Tokyo Vampire Hotel
      5.9
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Tokyo Vampire Hotel (2017)
      Tokyo Vampire Hotel
      6.3
      TV Mini Series
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Love Exposure: The TV-Show
      9.1
      TV Mini Series
      • Director
    • Shinjuku Swan II (2017)
      Shinjuku Swan II
      5.4
      • Director
      • 2017
    • Antiporno (2016)
      Antiporno
      6.3
      • Director
      • 2016
    • Madly (2016)
      Madly
      5.4
      • Director (segment "Love of Love")
      • 2016
    • The Whispering Star (2015)
      The Whispering Star
      6.5
      • Director
      • 2015
    • Everyone Is Psychic!: The Movie (2015)
      Everyone Is Psychic!: The Movie
      5.4
      • Director
      • 2015
    • All Esper Dayo! ~The Lust-filled Love Wars~ (2015)
      All Esper Dayo! ~The Lust-filled Love Wars~
      5.5
      TV Mini Series
      • supervising director
      • 2015

    Writer



    • Moshikashite, hyûhyû (2022)
      Moshikashite, hyûhyû
      • Writer (as Takayuki Yamamoto)
      • 2022
    • Red Post on Escher Street (2020)
      Red Post on Escher Street
      7.2
      • written by (as Shion Sono)
      • 2020
    • Takumi Saitô in Kokoduna 19-ji (2020)
      Kokoduna 19-ji
      6.0
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2020
    • The Forest of Love: Deep Cut (2020)
      The Forest of Love: Deep Cut
      6.8
      TV Mini Series
      • Writer
      • 2020
    • The Forest of Love (2019)
      The Forest of Love
      6.2
      • Writer
      • 2019
    • Red Blade (2018)
      Red Blade
      5.6
      • story (as Shion Sono)
      • 2018
    • Tokyo Vampire Hotel (2017)
      Tokyo Vampire Hotel
      5.9
      • Writer
      • 2017
    • Tokyo Vampire Hotel (2017)
      Tokyo Vampire Hotel
      6.3
      TV Mini Series
      • Writer
      • 2017
    • Antiporno (2016)
      Antiporno
      6.3
      • screenplay
      • 2016
    • Tak Sakaguchi in Re:Born (2016)
      Re:Born
      6.0
      • original draft
      • 2016
    • Madly (2016)
      Madly
      5.4
      • writer
      • 2016
    • The Whispering Star (2015)
      The Whispering Star
      6.5
      • Writer
      • 2015
    • Everyone Is Psychic!: The Movie (2015)
      Everyone Is Psychic!: The Movie
      5.4
      • screenplay
      • 2015
    • Mariko Shinoda, Erina Mano, Reina Triendl, Yuki Sakurai, and Aki Hiraoka in Comedy Nights with Kapil (2013)
      Tag
      6.1
      • Writer
      • 2015
    • Love & Peace (2015)
      Love & Peace
      6.8
      • screenplay
      • 2015

    Actor



    • ami.exe · 2nd atom (2018)
      ami.exe · 2nd atom
      6.8
      Short
      • The Dream Man
      • 2018
    • Ami. exe (2017)
      Ami. exe
      7.1
      Short
      • The Dream Man
      • 2017
    • Everyone Is Psychic! (2013)
      Everyone Is Psychic!
      7.0
      TV Mini Series
      • 2013
    • Bad Film (2012)
      Bad Film
      6.4
      • Shiro Kita
      • 2012
    • The Making of Noriko's Dinner Table
      Video
      • 2008
    • Eihi Shiina in Tokyo Gore Police (2008)
      Tokyo Gore Police
      5.9
      • 2008
    • The Insects Unlisted in the Encyclopedia (2007)
      The Insects Unlisted in the Encyclopedia
      5.9
      • 2007
    • Kumiko Asô and Joe Odagiri in Prescription Police (2006)
      Prescription Police
      7.5
      TV Mini Series
      • Ossan
      • 2007
    • Kumiko Asô and Joe Odagiri in Before Prescription Police (2007)
      Before Prescription Police
      7.6
      TV Series
      • 2007
    • Damejin (2006)
      Damejin
      6.0
      • (voice)
      • 2006
    • Blind Beast vs Dwarf (2001)
      Blind Beast vs Dwarf
      3.6
      • 2001
    • Teachers of Sexual Play: Modelling Urns with the Female Body (2000)
      Teachers of Sexual Play: Modelling Urns with the Female Body
      3.9
      • 2000
    • Kôshoku Fûfu: Susutte Hoshii
      • 1999
    • Kirai... janaiyo
      • 1991
    • Jitensha toiki (1990)
      Jitensha toiki
      5.4
      • Shiro
      • 1990

    Videos3

    Sundance 2021 Record-Breakers & Must-See Movies
    Clip 3:49
    Sundance 2021 Record-Breakers & Must-See Movies
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:03
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:03
    Official Trailer
    Trailer #1
    Trailer 1:22
    Trailer #1

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Alternative names
      • Shion Sono
    • Height
      • 5′ 10¾″ (1.80 m)
    • Born
      • December 18, 1961
      • Toyokawa, Aichi, Japan
    • Spouse
      • Megumi Kagurazaka2011 - present (1 child)
    • Parents
        Izumi Sono

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      He was admitted to Berkeley University where he stayed for 15 months. However he never studied there as he was spending his time watching films.
    • Quotes
      Japanese movies - almost all I don't like. I don't like. Because almost all Japanese movies are love drama, crying drama, and...sickness movie.
    • Trademarks
        He is mainly using handheld cameras in his films.

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