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In post-war Japan's economic boom, gangster family-born Kikuo Tachibana finds himself adopted by a kabuki actor. Despite life's challenges, he develops into a gifted performer. (NR, 175 min.)
7:00 PM
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5:30 PM
7:00 PM
4:00 PM
6:30 PM
4:00 PM 7:00 PM
Nagasaki, 1964. After the death of his father, the leader of a yakuza gang, 14-year-old Kikuo is taken under the wing of a famous Kabuki actor. Alongside Shunsuke, the actor’s only son, Kikuo decides to dedicate himself to this traditional form of theatre. Across decades, the two young men grow and evolve together – from acting school to the grandest stages – amid scandals and glory, brotherhood and betrayals, as each pushes to become the greatest living Kabuki master.
From acclaimed director Sang-il Lee (Pachinko), KOKUHO (meaning “national treasure”) is a film of awe-inspiring scope and sumptuous beauty, and a monument to the artists who would sacrifice everything in the pursuit of the ultimate performance.
Starring: Ryô Yoshizawa, Ryûsei Yokohama, Mitsuki Takahata
Director: Sang-il Lee
Language: Japanese
Genre: Drama
"One of the awards season’s most gorgeous and stirring movies."
— Thelma Adams, AARP Movies for Grownups
"Visually striking and emotionally intense, bolstered by committed portrayals from the two leads."
— Todd Jorgenson, Cinemalogue
"Lee Sang-il lavishly explores the dedication, pain, and sacrifice it takes to become the titular Kokuho, or national treasure."
— Janet Reinschmidt, MovieJawn
"Fine as a backstage drama about artistic ambition, Kokuho rises to a glorious level during the kabuki performance sequences."
— Liam Lacey, Original Cin
"A cinematic epic, a sweeping saga that pits innate talent against traditional hereditary birthright throughout decades, one of 2025's very best."
— Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews
"It's easy to see how this film, nominated for best makeup and hairstyling at this year's Oscars, became Japan's highest-grossing live-action film."
— Bob Mondello, NPR
"Two actors spend decades vying for attention and affection as kabuki players in this visually sumptuous Oscar-nominated drama from Japan."
— Christopher Lloyd, The Film Yap
"Some of the best acting of the year is held within Kokuho, with each actor playing both Kikuo and Shunsuke giving not just an impressive physical performance but a deeply moving one."
— Megan Loucks, Geek Vibes Nation
"At the center of its superb cast, Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama deliver exquisitely layered performances that interweave offstage characterization and onstage theatricality."
— Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter
"Kokuho succeeds on multiple levels: as a character-driven drama, a cultural chronicle, and a meditation on legacy, sacrifice, and art. This is a richly crafted, deeply felt work that lingers long after the curtain falls."
— Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse
"Anchored by an astonishing central performance from Ryo Yoshizawa and a fastidious devotion to the traditional art of kabuki theatre, Lee Sang-il’s sumptuous saga Kokuho emerges as the finest Japanese film of the year."
— James Marsh, South China Morning Post
"It's bursting with emotion and beauty; its costumes, hair and makeup are dazzling. Sang-il Lee's film tells a compelling story about friendship, the weight of history, the quest for perfection and the torturous road to becoming a living national treasure."
— John Powers, NPR
