The Idiot

Friday, August 19 - Sunday, August 21, 2011

After finishing what would become his international phenomenon Rashomon, Akira Kurosawa immediately turned to one of the most daring, and problem-plagued, productions of his career. The Idiot, an adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s nineteenth-century masterpiece about a wayward, pure soul’s reintegration into society—updated by Kurosawa to capture Japan’s postwar aimlessness—was a victim of studio interference and, finally, public indifference. Today, this “folly” looks ever more fascinating, a stylish, otherworldly evocation of one man’s wintry mindscape. – Janus Films

Please note: the 35mm print of this film we received from the studio is heavily damaged, so we will be screening the film digitally.

• Country Japan
• Language Japanese
• Rating NR
• Year 1951
• Running Time 166 minutes
• Distributor Janus
• Director Akira Kurosawa

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.