Born in 1903, Ozu – in a mere 60 years of life – carved out one of the greatest directorial careers in cinema history. Beginning in the silent era and ending with his death in 1963, Ozu created a unique, seemingly simple filmmaking style that carried an emotional wallop, which audiences rarely saw coming (hence its desired effect). The universality of his themes – family discord among generations, changing social mores – have ensured that he remains at the top of the pantheon, his concerns and obsessions as relevant today as they’ve ever been.