Kagemusha

Shingen, a powerful warlord, has become as legendary as the motto emblazoned on his war banners: "Swift as the wind. Silent as the forest. Fierce as the fire. Immovable as the mountain."

As he lies dying from his battle wounds, Shingen orders his clan to find a double to replace him - to keep his death secret so that his enemies will not attack. The man chosen for this role is called Kagemusha (the shadow warrior). However this Kagemusha turns out to be a petty criminal who must somehow transform himself into a great leader and command the allegiance of 25,000 Samurai warriors.

An epic drama of feudal conflict in 16th century Japan, "Kagemusha" was nominated for two 1980 Academy Awards (Art Direction/Set Decoration and Best Foreign Language Film) and was co-winner of the grand prize at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival. It is a milestone in the career of Akira Kurosawa.