Story - An African Samurai
A foreign warrior seeking peace in a distant land encounters the possibility of human connection… until a desperate samurai is hired to hunt him down.
Set in the deep winter forests of Canada, FOREIGN follows Yasuke, a historical African warrior who served Oda Nobunaga during Japan’s Sengoku period.
After Nobunaga’s death, history becomes uncertain. For perhaps the first time in his life, Yasuke is truly free.
As he attempts to build a peaceful life in a foreign land, a struggling samurai accepts a contract to hunt him down.
Their paths eventually cross in a beautiful yet unforgiving winter landscape, forcing both men toward a tragic confrontation neither truly desires.
Why YASUKE? And Why Samurai Action?
I grew up in Japan watching samurai films with my grandfather.
I spent years writing stories involving swords and warriors while practicing kendo, karate, and jujutsu to better understand both the physical and emotional reality of combat.
Yasuke fascinates me because he existed between worlds, cultures, and martial arts.
I want to explore areas of samurai action that I personally do not see very often: realistic jujutsu, grappling, striking, and the emotional consequences of violence. The action in this film is intended to feel grounded, painful, and tragic rather than heroic.
GIJOU slams his katana down — a near miss. YASUKE drops backward.
GIJOU stomps on YASUKE’s face, then draws his kodachi (short katana).
Future Prospects
FOREIGN is being developed as a standalone short film and will be submitted to film festivals around the world.
If the project resonates with audiences, I would love to continue exploring Yasuke’s story and this period of history through a larger feature film.
Support
The majority of the funding will go directly toward cast, crew, costumes, props, locations, and production expenses.
Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us bring this story to life while fairly supporting the talented people involved in the project.
If you are unable to contribute financially, sharing the campaign with others is also a tremendous help.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about FOREIGN.
We look forward to sharing this journey with you.
