Kagemusha

Shingen, a powerful warlord, has become as legendary as the motto emblazoned on his war banners: "Swift as the wind, silent as the forest, fierce as the fire, immovable as the mountain." As he lies dying from his battle wounds, Shingen orders his clan to find a double to replace him - to keep his death secret so that his enemies will not attack. The man chosen for this role is called kagemusha (the shadow warrior). However this kagemusha turns out to be a petty criminal who must somehow transform himself into a great leader and command the allegiance of 25,000 samurai warriors. An epic drama of feudal conflict in 16th century Japan, "Kagemusha" was nominated for two 1980 Academy Awards® (Art Direction - Set Decoration, Foreign Language Film) and was co-winner of the grand prize at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival. It is a milestone in the career of Akira Kurosawa.