Kurosawa Kiyoshi on Cannes Title ‘The Samurai and the Prisoner’: ‘Films Have the Potential to Transcend National Borders’

Naman Ramachandran· May 19, 2026 · 8:00 AM UTC ·6 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 33 views

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Kurosawa Kiyoshi's latest film, 'The Samurai and the Prisoner,' is set in feudal Japan and explores themes of cowardice and power. The film adapts a Naoki Prize-winning novel and features a warlord forging an alliance with a prisoner who may hold the real power. Kurosawa's interest in the cowardly nature of his protagonist connects this work to his broader filmography, which often examines characters rebelling against societal structures.

Key facts

▪The film is set in Osaka circa 1578 and is part of the Cannes Premiere section of the Cannes Film Festival.
▪It tells the story of Lord Murashige Araki, a warlord facing mysterious deaths in his court.
▪Kurosawa is drawn to the cowardly aspects of his protagonist, which he believes resonate with themes in his previous films.

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Original publisher	Variety
Canonical URL	https://variety.com/2026/film/festivals/kurosawa-kiyoshi-samurai-prisoner-cannes-1236753306/
Publication time	Tue, 19 May 2026 08:00:00 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-05-19T08:04:57.437Z
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Home Film Festivals May 19, 2026 1:00am PT Kurosawa Kiyoshi on Cannes Title ‘The Samurai and the Prisoner’: ‘Films Have the Potential to Transcend National Borders’ By Naman Ramachandran Plus Icon Naman Ramachandran Latest Venice Winner Anuparna Roy Sets Sophomore Feature ‘Lovers in the Blue Night’ (EXCLUSIVE) 11 minutes ago Locarno Winners Reunite for Jesse Ball Adaptation ‘Silence Once Begun’ (EXCLUSIVE) 30 minutes ago Raindance Sets Full 34th Edition Lineup, Adds Best Horror Feature Prize as Festival Expands Competition Slate 1 day ago See All ©YH/K/TSATP ©2026 “KOKUROJO” Film Partners Kurosawa Kiyoshi has spent a career trapping his characters in the present tense — in the buzzing infrastructure of contemporary Tokyo, in the ambient dread of the networked age, in the particular horror…

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