Rusty Empty Can(1979)

Rusty Empty Can is Matsui's 1979 directorial debut, shot by Sogo Ishii. Despite Ishii's reputation for kinetic, fast-paced cinema, the film emerges as a serious and emotionally raw exploration of a homosexual relationship. Selected for the 1979 Pia Film Festival and other major Japanese festivals, Rusty Empty Can found an immediate audience and has since become a cult classic. The film earned endorsements from influential figures Nagisa Oshima and Shuji Terayama, cementing its status as a pioneering work. It continues to screen in theatres today, drawing devoted fans drawn to its unflinching emotional depth and historical significance in Japanese independent cinema.