Woman in the Dunes: A Universe Lies in a Grain of Sand

This story was first published in Coronadiet’s old site on March 12, 2020.

Hiroshi Teshigahara’s Woman in the Dunes (1964) opens with a close up shot of a grain of sand, seemingly detailed and large enough to contain an entire universe. This certainly turns out to be the case as the film unfolds to reveal a narrative centered on the existence of sand. Just as the opening pile of rocks is panned out to reveal an entire desert landscape, Teshigahara teases out the protagonist Niki’s circumstances: the viewer learns about his trap only when Niki himself becomes fully aware of the situation. The film’s visuals lend themselves to a second sensory mode of touch as mounds of gliding sand contrast with their granular appearance on the couple’s bodies to introduce an affective and nearly tactile experience. This involvement of bodies throughout the film effectively conveys the characters’ sexual suppression and violence, both of which are recurring themes of the Japanese New Wave.