Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2026, Japan, Not Rated, 147 minutes, Subtitled
In feudal Japan in 1578, Lord Murashige Araki (Masahiro Motoki) rebels against the powerful warlord Nobunaga Oda and finds himself trapped inside his besieged castle. When a succession of mysterious crimes breeds suspicion among his retainers, Murashige turns to an unlikely source for help: brilliant strategist Kanbei Kuroda (Masaki Suda), whom he is holding prisoner in the castle dungeon. Based on Honobu Yonezawa’s acclaimed novel, Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s first samurai film combines historical drama, locked-room mystery, and psychological thriller. Selected for the prestigious Cannes Première program at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, the film earned praise for its distinctive reinvention of the genre. The South China Morning Post awarded it four stars, calling it “intelligent, intriguing and captivating throughout,” and praised its immaculate production design and storytelling.
