Akira Kurosawa: A Retrospective

Long-considered among the greatest and most influential filmmakers of the 20th century, Akira Kurosawa directed 30 feature films across a span of six decades. Heavily influenced by Western cinema, the filmmaker forged a bold, brilliant and propulsive style — often employing his own unique take on established techniques — and was deeply involved in all aspects of production, from writing and editing to production design with elaborate storyboards. He worked with a recurring stable of actors (Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura being chief among them), exploring themes around master-disciple relationships, and cycles of violence and class in post-war Japan and throughout history. In celebration of his 115th anniversary — he's only 15 years older than the Belcourt itself — we've been gifted nine new restorations from his era at Toho Films. We supplement these with a few favorites of our own.