in 2000, Kitano ‘Beat’ Takeshi directed and starred in Brother, a relentless crime thriller about a yakuza forced to flee Japan for the United States after a failed gang war that has cost the life of his boss. The film, which was Kitano’s English language debut, comes to BFI Blu-ray later this month with special features including the rarely seen short film The Green Flash starring Omar Epps, cast and crew interviews, a featurette on the film and a documentary about the director.

Yamamoto ‘Aniki’ (Kitano) arrives in Los Angeles with nothing but a new name and a bag full of cash. Reuniting with his younger brother, Aniki uses his experience as a hardened gangster to grow a smalltime local narcotics operation into a far-reaching criminal brotherhood, in the process attracting the attention of rival LA gangs – with bloody consequences.

Brother will be released on UK Blu-ray by the BFI on 21 April 2025 at the RRP of £19.99.

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• The Green Flash (1988, 25 mins): Adam Davis’s short film about an encounter between a homeless orphan and an injured gangster, featuring a young Omar Epps in his first screen role
• Scenes by the Sea: The Life and Cinema of ‘Beat’ Takeshi Kitano (2000, 49 mins)
• Featurette (2000, 2 mins): behind the scenes footage and on-set interviews
• Cast and crew interviews (2000, 15 mins): with director/actor Takeshi Kitano, producers Masayuki Mori and Jeremy Thomas, and actor Omar Epps
• Behind the scenes footage (2000, 4 mins): on-set footage of Kitano at work with his crew
• First pressing only: Illustrated booklet featuring new essays by Jennifer Coates, Adam Bingham and James-Masaki Ryan, an archival interview with Takeshi Kitano by Tony Rayns and writing on The Green Flash by its director Adam Davis