#FIRSTLOOK: “THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER” CANADIAN RELEASE AND TRAILER

We get Canadian release dates from Cannes selection THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER.

Toronto gets a special preview screening on Tuesday, August 4, 2026
at the TIFF Lightbox, with a post-screening Q&A with
writer-director Kiyoshi Kurosawa in attendance

TIFF Lightbox (Toronto) – opens exclusively on August 7, 2026
Cinema du Musee – Montreal – August 14, 2026
Globe Cinema – Calgary – August 14, 2026
The Roxy Theatre – Victoria – August 14, 2026

“From the stunning opening all the way to the closing frames as the characters wander off one final time, it’s a remarkable, restrained and ultimately riveting film that earns every moment and then some.” – The Wrap

“Kurosawa finds in Murashige a formidable analog; anchored as it may be to a rich, illustrious cinematic lineage, The Samurai and the Prisoner feels at once retro and rebellious—a loving tribute from one disruptor to another.” – The Film Stage

“Adapting Honobu Yonezawa’s award-winning 2021 novel, Kurosawa has made one of his best films, a work that feels a bit like Agatha Christie, a bit like Shakespeare, and even a bit like Samurai Columbo.”- RogerEbert.com

Selected Official Selections:

Festival De Cannes 2025 (Competition) * world premiere
Sydney Film Festival 2026
Fantasia Festival 2026 *North American premiere

Synopsis:
When Lord Murashige (Masahiro Motoki) rises up against the tyrannical Oda (Bando Shingo), he finds himself besieged within the walls of his own castle. Isolated, he is confronted with a series of mysterious crimes that shatter the fragile order of his court, plunging the fortress into fear and suspicion. With Oda’s army closing in and a traitor hiding among his ranks, Murashige is forced into an uneasy alliance with Kanbei Kuroda (Masaki Suda), a brilliant yet dangerous strategist held prisoner in the dungeon. Helped by his wife Chiyoho (Yuriko Yoshitaka) and his most loyal generals, Murashige must uncover the truth before the castle falls.

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure, Journey to the Shore, Pulse)
Writer: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Based on a novel by: Honobu Yonezawa

Cast:

Masahiro Motoki as Lord Murashige Araki
Masaki Suda as Kanbei Kuroda
Yuriko Yoshitaka as Chiyoho
Munetaka Aoki as Kyuzaemon Araki
Bando Shingo as Nobunaga Oda
Ryota Miyadate as Sukesaburō Inui
Tasuku Emoto as Sagehari Saika
Joe Odagiri as Jūemon Kōri
Editor: Koichi Takahashi
Cinematographer: Yasuyuki Sasaki
Composer: Yoshihiro Hanno

Producer: Satoko Ishida

Countries: Japan
Runtime: 147 minutes
Language: Japanese (with English subtitles)

Canadian Distributor: Blue Fox Entertainment Canada
U.S. Distributor: Janus Films

Note: Janus Films will be releasing the film on July 31 in the U.S.
In Canada, Blue Fox Entertainment Canada will be releasing THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER in Canadian theatres beginning on August 7, 2026.

About Blue Fox Entertainment Canada:
Blue Fox Entertainment Canada launched in advance of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, spearheaded by seasoned industry executives Dave Hudakoc, Ian Goggins and Michael Baker. The company has quickly established itself through the strategic acquisition of Unobstructed View Entertainment, now known as Cinema Cellar—a boutique label specializing in Blu-rays, 4K restorations, and prestige home video releases. With partners such as The Criterion Collection, Arrow Video, and Kino Lorber, Blue Fox Entertainment Canada brings cinephiles and collectors access to some of the most celebrated and hard-to-find titles in contemporary and classic cinema.

Operating in close alignment with its Los Angeles-based counterpart, Blue Fox Entertainment Canada handles all Canadian distribution for Blue Fox Entertainment, as well as other curated partnerships across the independent film landscape.

Recent releases include Janus Films’ TWO PROCECUTORS, directed by Sergei Loznitsa which won the François Chalais Prize at Cannes, Kirk Jones’ multiple BAFTA-winning film I SWEAR, and Sophy Romvari’s BLUE HERON winner of the TFCA Awards’ Rogers Best Canadian Film.