Empire of Passion
Empire of Passion is a 1978 French‑Japanese drama directed by Nagisa Ōshima, based on a novel by Itoko Nakamura. The story unfolds in 1895 Japan and follows Seki, whose husband is violently attacked by a young neighbor, Toyoji. Seki and Toyoji begin an affair and decide to kill her husband. They strangle him and dump the body in a well, while Seki pretends her husband has gone to Tokyo. For three years they keep meeting in secret, but gossip spreads and suspicions grow. The husband’s ghost haunts Seki as authorities investigate his disappearance.
The film stars Kazuko Yoshiyuki and Tatsuya Fuji, with a runtime of 108 minutes. It was Japan’s submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 51st Academy Awards but was not nominated. Empire of Passion competed at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival, where Ōshima won Best Director. It was released on DVD in 2000 under the title In the Realm of Passion and is often described as Ōshima’s only true kaidan (Japanese ghost story), a savage and unrelenting experience.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:01 (CET).