Sion Sono (Film director)

Sion Sono is a filmmaker and poet from Aichi Prefecture. He got his start making avant-garde 8 mm films and performing his poetry in live performances. He also appeared as an actor in Blind Beast vs. Killer Dwarf, a 2001 movie by legendary filmmaker Teruo Ishii. However, Sono didn’t gain international acclaim until the release of his smash hit horror movie, Suicide Club, which was released at the peak of the J-horror boom.

Sono was represented by Dongyu Club until he was expelled from the company in December 2012 following his unexpected absence at the Dubai International Film Festival. He later cited “extreme mental fatigue” as his reason for not showing up.

Native name: 園子温 (SONO Shion)
Occupation: Film director
Birthplace: Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture
Born: December 18, 1961 (age 54)
Debuted: 1985

Personal

Given name is pronounced, and often transliterated as "Shion"

Filmography as director

Year	Movie
2015	Shinjuku Swan
2014	Tokyo Tribes
2013	Why Don’t You Play in Hell?
2012	The Land of Hope
2012	Himizu
2011	Guilty of Romance
2010	Cold Fish
2009	Be Sure To Share
2008	Love Exposure
2005	Strange Circus
2005	Noriko’s Dinner Table
2001	Suicide Club
1997	Keiko Desu Kedo
1995	Bad Film
1993	The Room
1990	Bicycle Sighs
1987	Man’s Flower Road
1985	Ore wa Sono Sion da!

Filmography as writer

Year	Movie
2014	Tokyo Tribes
2013	Why Don’t You Play in Hell?
2012	The Land of Hope
2012	Himizu
2011	Guilty of Romance
2010	Cold Fish
2009	Be Sure To Share
2008	Love Exposure
2005	Strange Circus
2005	Noriko’s Dinner Table
2001	Suicide Club
1997	Keiko Desu Kedo
1995	Bad Film
1993	The Room
1990	Bicycle Sighs
1987	Man’s Flower Road
1985	Ore wa Sono Sion da!

Filmography as actor

Year	Movie	Role
2008	Tokyo Gore Police
2007	Deathfix: Die and Let Live	Acupuncture master
2001	Blind Beast vs. Killer Dwarf
1990	Bicycle Sighs	Shiro
1987	Man’s Flower Road
1985	Ore wa Sono Sion da!

Latest news

Ryohei Suzuki and rapper YOUNG DAIS to co-star in Sion Sono’s "Tokyo Tribes"

Actor Ryohei Suzuki and rapper YOUNG DAIS (N.C.B.B.) have been chosen as the co-leads of Sion Sono’s upcoming live-action film adaptation of Santa Inoue’s Tokyo Tribes manga.Suzuki got...

3 years ago
Sion Sono’s "Why Don’t You Play in Hell?" gets surprising PG-12 rating

In spite of its bloody battle scenes, Sion Sono's upcoming action movie Why Don’t You Play in Hell? (Jigoku de Naze Warui) has been given a PG-12 rating by Eirin, Japan's regulating body for...

3 years ago
Sion Sono to direct live-action adaptation of Santa Inoue’s "Tokyo Tribes"

Sion Sono is set to direct a live-action adaptation of Santa Inoue’s Tokyo Tribes (aka Tokyo Tribe 2) manga. Instead of casting actors through agencies, Sono will be holding an open audition on...

3 years ago
More cast members revealed for Sion Sono’s "The Land of Hope"

Last year, director Sion Sono chose to film his live-action adaptation of Himizu in an area devastated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, incorporating the effects of disaster into the story...

4 years ago
Sion Sono to direct live-action adaptation of “Himizu” manga

On Monday, it was announced that creator Minoru Furuya’s manga Himizu will be adapted to a live-action film written and directed by Sion Sono (Love Exposure, Cold Fish).Published serially in Young...

5 years ago
Sion Sono’s “Guilty of Romance” revealed at AFM

On Sunday, the next feature film by director Sion Sono was revealed at AFM.As reported by THR, the project is being produced by Nikkatsu and is titled Guilty of Romance.The film begins with the...

6 years ago
Sion Sono gearing up for “Lords of Chaos”, Count Grishnackh played by who?!

Sion Sono is set to film his upcoming English-language film adaptation of Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind’s book, “Lords of Chaos”, in mid-September—a few months later than was...

7 years ago
Sion Sono shooting “Lords of Chaos” in Norway this spring

This project first popped up last summer when Sion Sono (Suicide Club, Love Exposure) was interviewed by Patrick Van Hauwaert of Asian Cult Cinema and mentioned he was scouting locations in Norway to...

7 years ago
Sion Sono’s "Love Exposure" screening at Tokyo FILMeX

There hasn’t been much news about Sion Sono’s Love Exposure (Ai no Mukidashi) floating around since it was first announced around this time last year. But now comes word that it will be one of...

8 years ago