Janus acquires Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 'The Samurai and the Prisoner' pre-Cannes debut

Janus Films has secured all US rights to The Samurai And The Prisoner, the newest movie by Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this year.

The Samurai And The Prisoner is an adaptation of the book by Honobu Yonezawa. The production was handled by Shochiku in partnership with Tokyo Broadcasting System Television.

The film’s official description states: When Lord Murashige Araki defies the oppressive Nobunaga Oda, he becomes trapped within his own fortress.

Alone, he faces a string of puzzling crimes that disrupt the delicate balance of his court, throwing the castle into panic and mistrust.

As Oda’s forces advance and a traitor lurks among them, Murashige forms an uneasy partnership with Kanbei Kuroda, a clever yet dangerous strategist imprisoned below.

With assistance from his wife Chiyoho and his devoted generals, Murashige races against time to uncover the truth before the fortress is lost.

Born in 1955 in Kobe, Japan, Kurosawa began his filmmaking journey with 8mm independent movies while studying Sociology at Rikkyo University.

Subsequently, he gained experience working as an assistant director under Kazuhiko Hasegawa and Shinji Somai.

His notable films include Cure, Charisma, Pulse, Bright Future, Tokyo Sonata, Journey To The Shore, Creepy, Daguerrotype, After We Vanish, Wife Of A Spy, Serpent’s Path, and Cloud.

“I was delighted to hear that the tale of the Sengoku warlord Araki Murashige, who rose against his master Oda Nobunaga, will be showcased at Cannes, crossing both time and borders,” Kurosawa expressed in a statement.

“If, fortunately, people abroad can relate to how such events could still happen today, I would be overjoyed.”