(SANSHÔ DAYÛ, Kenji Mizoguchi, Japan 1954, 120 min., Japanese with subtitles, 35mm)
In 11th-century Japan, the family of an exiled provincial governor is kidnapped. His wife is sold into prostitution and his son and daughter are sold to the cruel Sansho. The son escapes, determined to find his mother and free the other slaves forced to work Sansho’s manor. He will have great rewards and great despair. Mizoguchi’s sweeping epic is based on a classic Japanese legend, a story that celebrates bravery, resilience, and selflessness.
