Samurai in Virginia? This micro-budget fever dream commits harder than your ex.
Hitiro the noble samurai serves the Emperor of Richmond, Virginia. After he refuses to enforce the Emperor's draconian tax policies, Hitiro is attacked by a jealous rival, who frames Hitiro for the murder of his wife. Hitiro escapes multiple ninja assassins, and seeks to begin a new life at a peaceful, rural village under the alias of "Hitiro the peasant." But can Hitiro outrun his past? Can he deny his burgeoning feelings for Ikama, daughter of the village headman? And can he save his new home from the wrath of the Emperor's soldiers?
Practical Effects
Genuine sword fights filmed in actual Virginia fields with zero budget
Production
Yellow House's debut feature—regional filmmaking at its most ambitious
Acting
Keith Janssen's committed lead performance sells every absurd moment
Director
Justin Dray
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Yellow House was a Richmond-based collective making features during the mid-2000s micro-budget boom, representing a wave of regional American cinema rarely preserved or discussed.
The 'Emperor of Richmond' concept suggests the filmmakers transplanted Japanese feudal structure onto Virginia's actual colonial history, creating accidental commentary on American power structures.
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