Best ending
The Samurai and the Prisoner
as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
The last five minutes reorganise everything before them, and hold up when you already know what's coming.
Best opening
The Samurai and the Prisoner
as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
A first sequence that states the rules of the film without explaining a single one of them.
Most emotional
The Samurai and the Prisoner
as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
The film where the technique steps aside and lets the feeling arrive undefended.
Best twist
The Samurai and the Prisoner
as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
A reversal earned by information the film gave you and trusted you to misread.
Best visual achievement
The Samurai and the Prisoner
as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
Images that would survive with the sound switched off.
Best action sequence
The Samurai and the Prisoner
as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
Geography, stakes and consequence held in the same frame — spectacle you can follow.
Best dialogue
The Samurai and the Prisoner
as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
Lines written to be spoken, staged so the pauses do half the work.
Most underrated film
The Samurai and the Prisoner
as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
The public vote sits below ours on this one, and the direction is the reason for the gap.