End of empire: Russian director analyzes Japanese WWII surrender in 'The Sun'

In August 1945, Japan heard the voice of divine leader Emperor Hirohito for the first time, as he implored his people to cease all military activity. This declaration initiated a formal end to WWII and the beginning of a new period of American Occupation, led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur. With The Sun, Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov (Russian Ark) creates a hypnotic, eerie portrait of the enigmatic Hirohito during the twilight of the war, as he faces surrender and the reality of renouncing his status as a deity to a stunned population. Issey Ogata (Yi-Yi) gives a mesmerizing performance as the defeated emperor whose legendary meetings with MacArthur determined the fate of his nation and lay the foundation for Japan's phoenix-like postwar reconstruction. As Hirohito's power and status collide with his unfamiliarity with the real world, one of the cinema's strangest, most indelible characters emerges. In Japanese and English, with subtitles the film is 110 minutes in length.

Last showing this Sunday, March 14 at 4:30 p.m.

The Detroit Film Theater is at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Avenue, in Midtown Detroit's Cultural Center. Access the theatre through the John R entrance. Go here for tickets.