The way of a swordsman is to cherish life rather than to kill, says Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda.
Koreeda's fifth feature film - the samurai tale Hana - explores the age-old issue of revenge.
It revolves around a young, 18th-century samurai (Junichi Okada), who is looking for his late father's enemy in Edo (now Tokyo). If he succeeds in taking revenge, he will - according to tradition - be rewarded handsomely by the warrior clan.
Hana appears to be a strange addition to Koreeda's list of movies, which comprises mainly award-winning documentaries on social issues.
The director said his latest film was his response to the vengeful attitude shown by many countries after the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks.
He added that the idea of revenge as a rational act was also spreading in Japan.