Genuinely epic in scale and tone, Akira Kurosawa’s hugely influential samurai movie is a towering achievement.

When 16th-century farmers whose village is repeatedly attacked by merciless bandits ask an elderly, masterless samurai for help, he hesitantly agrees and assembles a band of warriors to defend and train the villagers...

Boasting terrific performances (with Shimura and Toshiro Mifune – as a peasant masquerading as a samurai – particularly memorable), superb camerawork, and expertly mounted battle sequences, Seven Samurai is undoubtedly one of the greatest action movies ever made.

Screening as part of Japan 2020: Over 100 years of Japanese Cinema, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network. bfijapan.co.uk

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