**Kinuyo Tanaka (1909-1977)** was one of the greatest and most prolific actresses of Japanese cinema. Active for over five decades, she became an icon of the golden age, starring in over 250 films. She worked with masters such as Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, and Akira Kurosawa.

Her most memorable roles include those in *Tokyo Story* (Ozu), *The Life of Oharu*, *Ugetsu*, and *Sansho the Bailiff* (Mizoguchi), and *Twenty-Four Eyes* (Keisuke Kinoshita). She was known for embodying complex and resilient women: mothers, wives, or figures who faced suffering with dignity and humanity.

She was also a pioneer, becoming one of the first post-war Japanese female directors with films like *Love Letter* (1953). Her acting style was characterized by a subtle intensity and profound truthfulness.