Yukio Mishima is one of the most remarkable writers of the 20th century. He wrote 35 novels, 25 plays, over 200 short stories and hundreds of essays. But his importance is not limited to literature; he was also an actor, model, thinker and nationalist revolutionary who founded the Tatenokai militia through which he manifested his essentialist positions. He is still one of the most controversial figures in Japan today. And what other Western director could film the life of such a complex artist other than Paul Schrader (the eternal screenwriter of Taxi Driver and director of First Reformed)? Presenting him in all his contradictions (through a highly inventive dramaturgy), Mishima is a composite portrait of a shattered man.

Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters premiered in competition at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prize for "Best Artistic Contribution".