Kubi 首

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Rival warlords battle to control feudal Japan in Takeshi Kitano’s mesmerising historical epic.

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Part of Queer East Festival 2025

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Contains distressing themes and scenes of graphic violence, sexual violence, suicide, and images of blood.

Director: Takeshi Kitano
Runtime: 131 Mins
Year: 2023
Country: Japan

In legendary director Takeshi Kitano’s mesmerising historical epic, rival warlords battle to reign supreme over feudal Japan. In the 16th century, Lord Oda Nobunaga is waging war against several clans, while asserting sexual control over his generals in order to intimidate them into loyalty. But when one of his vassals, Araki Murashige, stages a rebellion and promptly disappears, Nobunaga assembles his other vassals and orders them to capture the fugitive. But who has the skill to survive the web of shifting alliances, brutal passions, and vengeful betrayals? Offering a darkly comic perspective on the relationship between political intrigue and homoerotic desire, Kitano directs this bloody spectacle with panache. Thirty years in the making, this strikingly violent film comprehensively debunks the myths of masculinity, ethics, and honour that have defined the samurai genre onscreen.

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Takeshi Kitano

Takeshi Kitano is a Japanese filmmaker, actor, and comedian. He has received international acclaim for his films, which often focus on yakuza gangsters and police, winning numerous awards at major festivals. His acting credits include Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (1983), Gohatto (1999), and Battle Royale (2000).

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