A projector includes: an optical element including first and second regions and which diffuses light that has entered the regions; an irradiation device for irradiating the first and second regions with light in a time-divisional manner; a polarization control unit disposed on a plane which is conjugate to a plane on which the optical element is disposed; and a spatial light modulator disposed in a light path from the optical element to the polarization control unit and which is illuminated with light that has been diffused by the first and second regions. The polarization control unit is configured to control the polarization state of light so that light that has been diffused by the first region becomes light of a first polarization component, and light that has been diffused by the second region becomes light of a second polarization component which differs from the first polarization component.