Ikiru DVD

A film by Akria Kurosawa

Perhaps Akira Kurosawa's greatest achievement, Ikiru tells the story of Kenji Watanabe (Takashi Shimura), a bureaucrat who discovers he is dying of stomach cancer. Having lived a pointless life, he embarks on a personal crusade to find meaning in his existence before it's too late. At first attempting to revel in a little hedonism, and then making friends with a vivacious young woman from his workplace, these activities do not prove to be what he's looking for. It is only when he thinks of a meaningful project within his abilities that he finds his purpose.