News

Although there are just a few of them produced nowadays, Japanese period drama, especially jidaigeki, remains one of the most popular genres within the Japanese film industry. While audiences enjoy taking a deep dive into another time, witnessing sword fights and ancient traditions, actors and directors also look forward to presenting their take on the samurai genre. At the same time, much like the yakuza film, it has proven to be a very versatile genre if features such as Ken Ochiai‘s “Uzumasa Limelight”, Gakuryu Ishii‘s “Punk Samurai” or Hiroyuki Nakano‘s “Samurai Fiction” are any indicator. In his latest feature, director Junichi Yasuda (“Gohan”) blends the conventions of the genre with the idea of time travel, culminating in story which has a lot to say about the principles of the samurai as well as the “reality” of filmmaking and how it may serve as time capsule into another era.

Pigeon Shrine FrightFest is set to host the European premiere of A Samurai in Time, offering audiences a unique blend of historical drama and modern-day adventure. Screening at Discovery Screen 3 on Saturday, 24 August, and Sunday, 25 August, this 2024 Japanese film directed by Junichi Yasuda promises a memorable cinematic experience. This premiere follows its international debut at the Fantasia Festival.

Set during the closing days of the Edo period in Kyoto, the film begins with a samurai, Kosaka Shinzaemon, played by Makiya Yamaguchi, preparing for a duel against a ronin. A sudden flash of lightning transports him to present-day Kyoto, where the duel location has become a film set for jidaigeki (period drama) TV shows and movies. Clad in his traditional samurai attire, Shinzaemon is mistaken for an extra and thrust into the world of movie production.

Due to his authentic appearance and language, Shinzaemon quickly becomes a favourite on the sets,...

As the 25th anniversary of Pigeon Shrine FrightFest approaches, the organisers have unveiled a tantalising lineup for this year’s horror festival, which will be held at the Odeon Leicester Square from 22 August to 26 August 2024. The festival promises an array of chilling films, international premieres, and rare retrospectives.

We have already detailed what will be on offer in Discovery Screen 1 and Discovery Screen 2 across the long weekend.

Now we have even more detailed information for you. Read on for the film programme for Discovery Screen 3.

Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024 – Discovery Screen 3 Friday, 23 August 2024

6:30 Pm – Things Will Be Different (UK Premiere) Directed by Michael Felker, this film stars Adam David Thompson, Riley Dandy, Justin Benson, and Sarah Bolger. The plot follows estranged siblings Joseph and Sidney who, after a close-call robbery, hide in an abandoned farmhouse that inexplicably transports them to another time. As they struggle to return to their present,...