Dersu Uzala

Kurosawa's remarkable film, his only produced and financed outside of Japan, is an extraordinary tale of friendship and survival, based on the memoirs of Russian explorer Vladimir Arseniev. In the harsh environs of the Siberian frontier, an expedition led by Arseniev encounter the nomadic Goldi tribesman Dersu Uzala, who agrees to guide the men through the vast uncharted wilderness. Although initially considered by the group as little more than a savage, Dersu's skill, courage and spiritual wisdom soon earn their respect and admiration, as well as instilling in them a new-found compassion for the natural world. Bearing all the unmistakable hallmarks of the great cinema master, Kurosawa's Oscar-winning classic is a visually stunning humanist epic. (Artificial Eye)