Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Kōbe, July 19, 1955) is a Japanese director, screenwriter, and film critic, considered one of the most influential figures in his country's contemporary cinema. After starting his career in independent and V-Cinema productions during the 1980s, he gained international recognition in the late 1990s as a master of J-horror, distinguishing himself with an auteur style centered on psychological unease and alienation. His most celebrated works include the psychological thriller *Cure* (1997) and the existential horror *Kairo* (*Pulse*, 2001), which explore the breakdown of communication in modern society. His filmography also spans other genres, as demonstrated by the family drama *Tokyo Sonata* (2008), which won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. His career is marked by major awards, including the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival for the historical thriller *Wife of a Spy* (2020), confirming his status as an internationally renowned auteur.