Rivoli Theatre’s new Spotlight Series invites both cinephiles and casual movie lovers to slow down and focus at a time when our attention spans are increasingly scattered.

 

Akira Kurosawa (1910–1998) was one of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history, renowned for combining powerful humanistic themes with innovative visual storytelling. Over a career spanning five decades he directed 30 films, pioneering techniques including dynamic camera movement, bold use of weather and landscape, and sophisticated editing to heighten emotional impact. Kurosawa played a crucial role in introducing Japanese cinema to global audiences and reshaping international perceptions of non-Western film. 

His narratives, often exploring moral ambiguity, leadership, and individual responsibility, drew from both Japanese history and Western literature, creating a distinctive cross-cultural style. Kurosawa’s influence is evident in the work of directors such as George Lucas, Sergio Leone, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese, whose films echo his storytelling structures, visual compositions, and epic approach to action and character-driven drama.
In High and Low, a Yokohama shoe executive faces a wrenching choice when kidnappers mistakenly seize his chauffeur’s son but demand the ransom anyway.

Click here for tickets to the showtime on Saturday, March 28, in the Main Theatre which will include special pre-show content giving context to the film, and after the screening guests will be invited to stick around for a post-film happy hour discussion where we encourage you to connect with your community of fellow movie lovers!