Mitsuko Baisho

Akira Kurosawa's lauded feudal epic presents the tale of a petty thief who is recruited to impersonate Shingen, an aging warlord, in order to avoid attacks by competing clans. When Shingen dies, his generals reluctantly agree to have the impostor take over as the powerful ruler. He soon begins to appreciate life as Shingen, but his commitment to the role is tested when he must lead his troops into battle against the forces of a rival warlord.

Dir. Akira Kurosawa · With Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kenichi Hagiwara

Eight visually rich vignettes drawn from Kurosawa’s own dreams—fox weddings and vanished orchards, a soldier’s ghosts, a walk through Van Gogh’s canvases, nuclear nightmares, and a water-mill utopia—meditate on childhood, art, mortality, and humanity’s uneasy bond with nature.

Dir. Akira Kurosawa · With Akira Terao, Mitsuko Baisho, Toshie Negishi

A thief, a murderer, and a charming lady-killer, Iwao Enokizu is on the run from the police.

Dir. Shōhei Imamura · With Ken Ogata, Mayumi Ogawa, Mitsuko Baisho

In a small village in a valley everyone who reaches the age of 70 must leave the village and go to a certain mountain top to die. If anyone should refuse they would disgrace their family. Old Orin is 69. This winter it is her turn to go to the mountain. But first she must make sure that her eldest son Tatsuhei finds a wife.

Dir. Shōhei Imamura · With Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamoto, Tonpei Hidari

A businessman kills his adulterous wife and is sent to prison. After his release, he opens a barbershop and meets new people, talking to almost no one except for an eel he befriended while in prison.

Dir. Shōhei Imamura · With Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu, Akira Emoto

Something bizarre has come over the land. The kingdom is deteriorating. People are beginning to act strange... What's even more strange is that people are beginning to see dragons, which shouldn't enter the world of humans. Due to all these bizarre events, Ged, a wandering wizard, is investigating the cause. During his journey, he meets Prince Arren, a young distraught teenage boy. While Arren may look like a shy young teen, he has a severe dark side, which grants him strength, hatred, ruthlessness and has no mercy, especially when it comes to protecting Teru. For the witch Kumo this is a perfect opportunity. She can use the boy's "fears" against the very one who would help him, Ged.

Dir. Goro Miyazaki · With Junichi Okada, Aoi Teshima, Bunta Sugawara