Japońskie filmy o Ajnach w perspektywie amerykańskiego westernu

Recently the topic of transnationalism in the arts has become a popular strand of academic research. Nevertheless, this phenomenon is not an entirely new concept. In cinema it has been a constant element since its inception. One of the most important inspirations for world cinema has been the traditional cinematography of the USA, especially from the period of the great film studios, with the western being one of the most popular and imitated genres. Although it seems to be inextricably connected with the American myth of the frontier, the Wild West, the theme of expansion, and the conflict of ‘civilization’ and ‘wildness/savagery’ has reverberated outside the USA. In Japan westerns resonated on both the consumer-commercial and artistic levels. Japanese filmmakers utilized elements of the genre while weaving in some native contexts. The history of colonization of the northern island of Hokkaidō and its native inhabitants – the Ainu people – have been a point of reference for Japan-based western films. In this article, the authors analyze the western-specific genre elements in Japanese films about the Ainu people, while concentrating on the portrayal of individuals, groups and human relations on the frontier.