The BFI has announced The Samurai, a programme of classic films by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, playing at the UK’s largest screen at BFI IMAX to complement the British Museum’s exhibition on “the legendary warriors and the reality of their world – from the battlefields of medieval Japan to global 21st-century pop culture”.
“Described by Martin Scorsese as a cinematic ‘giant’, Kurosawa’s influence on generations of international filmmakers cannot be overestimated,” the BFI said.
“Many cite the legendary director as a source of inspiration for their own work, with his enduring titles responsible for promoting both Japanese cinema and culture to an international audience.”
Curated by BFI IMAX programme manager Madeleine Mullett, Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), Throne of Blood (1957) and Yojimbo (1961) will screen at BFI IMAX this spring.
Special events in the programme include an extended introduction to Throne of Blood by Rosina Buckland, lead curator of the British Museum’s Samurai exhibition, on 28 February.
A press release continued: “The samurai is an iconic figure, evoking images of formidable fighters possessing ideals of courage, honour and self-sacrifice.
“Yet much of what is commonly understood about the samurai today is a myth. A major new exhibition at the British Museum until 4 May, Samurai traces the evolution of these remarkable figures over the past 1,000 years and is groundbreaking as the first to explore how their image and myth was created.
“Bringing together around 280 objects and digital media from the collection and from 29 national and international lenders, the exhibition reveals the many identities of Japan’s warrior class across the centuries.”
The Samurai programme plays at BFI IMAX from 28 February to 4 May. Tickets will be on sale from Tuesday 17 February at 12pm for BFI Members and at 4pm for the general public.
