**Hiroshi Teshigahara (1927-2001)** was an influential Japanese director, renowned for his distinctive and deeply existential approach to cinema. His cinematic career is inextricably linked to his prolific collaboration with the writer Kobo Abe, which gave rise to his most celebrated works.

His films are known for exploring themes of alienation, identity, confinement, and the search for meaning in often surreal or oppressive situations. Among his most important works are:

* ***Woman in the Dunes*** (Suna no Onna, 1964): A masterpiece that earned him the Special Jury Prize at Cannes and an Academy Award nomination for Best Director.
* ***The Face of Another*** (Tanin no Kao, 1966): An unsettling exploration of the loss of identity.
* ***The Man Without a Map*** (Moetsukita Chizu, 1968): A psychological thriller about obsession and disappearance.

Teshigahara's style is characterized by a rigorous visual aesthetic, an often claustrophobic atmosphere, and characters who confront their own fragility in enigmatic environments. Although he also made documentaries and was a master of Ikebana, his most significant contribution remains in auteur cinema, distinguishing himself for his originality within the Japanese New Wave.