‘Mifune: The Last Samurai’ Screening at JANM

Steven Okazaki interviewed many of Toshiro Mifune’s friends and associates for “Mifune: The Last Samurai.” (J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo)

“Mifune: The Last Samurai” will be screened on Saturday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m. in the Tateuchi Democracy Forum of the Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave. in Little Tokyo.

The documentary by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki explores the accidental movie career of Toshiro Mifune, one of the true giants of world cinema.

Mifune made 16 remarkable films with director Akira Kurosawa during the golden age of Japanese cinema, including “Rashomon” (1950), “Seven Samurai” (1954), and “Yojimbo” (1961). Together they thrilled audiences and influenced filmmaking around the world, providing direct inspiration for the iconic 1960 western “The Magnificent Seven”; Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood’s breakout 1964 movie “A Fistful of Dollars”; and even George Lucas’ 1977 blockbuster, “Star Wars.”

The filmmaker will be present for a Q&A following the screening. Okazaki won an Oscar for “Days of Waiting” and was nominated for “Unfinished Business,” “The Mushroom Club” and “The Consience of Nhem En.” He received an Emmy for “White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” For more information on his works, visit www.farfilm.com/.

Included with museum admission. RSVPs are strongly recommended. For more information, call (213) 625-0414 or visit www.janm.org.

Note that the 2018 Women’s March takes place in Downtown Los Angeles on the morning of Jan. 20. Street closures will be in place and traffic and parking may be affected.