# Dersu Uzala (1975 film)

Dersu Uzala (Russian: Дерсу Узала; Japanese: デルス·ウザーラ, romanized: Derusu Uzāra; alternative U.S. title: Dersu Uzala: The Hunter) is a 1975 biographical adventure drama film directed and co-written by Akira Kurosawa. Shot in Russian, it is his only non-Japanese-language film and only 70mm film.
An international co-production between Japan and the Soviet Union, shot at the peak of the East-West detente, the film is based on the 1923 memoir Dersu Uzala (which was named after the native trapper) by Russian explorer Vladimir Arsenyev, about his exploration of the Sikhote-Alin region of the Russian Far East over the course of multiple expeditions in the early 20th century. Shot almost entirely outdoors in the Russian Far East wilderness, the film explores the theme of a native of the forests who is fully integrated into his environment, leading a style of life that will inevitably be destroyed by the advance of civilization. It is also about the growth of respect and deep friendship between two men of profoundly different backgrounds, and about the difficulty of coping with the loss of capability that comes with old age.
The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, the Golden Prize and the Prix FIPRESCI at the 9th Moscow International Film Festival, and other awards. It was also a box office hit, selling more than 21 million tickets in the Soviet Union and Europe in addition to grossing $1.2 million in the United States and Canada.

## Plot

In the early 1900s, Captain Arsenyev embarks on a topographic surveying expedition in the Shkotovo region of the Ussuri territory. During the journey, he encounters Dersu Uzala, a nomadic Goldi hunter who impresses him with his exceptional wilderness skills. Dersu agrees to become their guide, leading the expedition through the rugged frontier.
Dersu earns the respect of the group with his experience, instincts, keen observation, and compassion. He showcases his resourcefulness by repairing an abandoned hut and leaving essential provisions for future travelers. As the expedition progresses, Arsenyev and Dersu venture alone to explore Lake Khanka but are caught in a blizzard. Dersu saves Arsenyev’s life by building a shelter and tending to him throughout the night.
The party faces numerous hardships, including fatigue and starvation, but Dersu’s wisdom and skills help them survive. Eventually, they encounter a Nanai family who offers food, warmth, and hospitality. When the expedition nears its end, Arsenyev invites Dersu to accompany him back to Khabarovsk. However, Dersu, feeling his place is in the forest, declines the offer, asking only for rifle cartridges.
Five years later, Arsenyev embarks on another expedition, hoping to reunite with Dersu. Eventually, they meet again, and Dersu agrees to guide the party once more. During the journey, Arsenyev and Dersu face a perilous situation when they become stranded on a raft heading toward treacherous rapids. Dersu sacrifices himself by pushing Arsenyev to safety before the raft is destroyed. The group rescues Dersu, strengthening the bond between him and Arsenyev.
As time passes, Dersu senses they are being stalked by a Siberian tiger, an amu. He tries to persuade the tiger to leave peacefully but is forced to shoot at it. Distraught over injuring the sacred animal, Dersu becomes troubled and realizes he can no longer sustain himself as a hunter. He appeals to Arsenyev to take him home, but Dersu struggles to adapt to city life, feeling confined and out of place. He eventually tells the family he must return to the mountains. Though saddened, Arsenyev understands and gifts Dersu a new high-powered rifle to improve his chances of survival.
Later, Arsenyev receives news that the body of an unidentified Goldi hunter has been found and is asked to identify it. He recognizes the body as Dersu’s and is devastated by the loss. The official speculates that Dersu may have been killed for the rifle Arsenyev had given him. At Dersu’s burial, Arsenyev plants his walking stick beside the grave as a symbol of remembrance.

## Cast

* Yury Solomin as Vladimir Arsenyev
* Maxim Munzuk as Dersu Uzala
* Vladimir Kremena as Turtygin
* Alexander Pyatkov as Olenev
* Svetlana Danilchenko as Anna
* Suimenkul Chokmorov as Zhang Bao

## Production

In an interview conducted for the 1999 RUSCICO DVD release, co-star Solomin stated that Kurosawa had long known of Arsenyev's book and had planned to make a film version very early in his career in the late 1930s, but had dropped the project after realising that it had to be made in the taiga region where the events had actually taken place. The Soviet government allowed few foreigners there. In the 1970s they allowed Kurosawa and his team permission to film, but monitored them closely during the year-long production.
In 1971, Kurosawa attempted suicide during a difficult period in his career, questioning his creative ability after the commercial failure of Dodes'ka-den the year before and the subsequent denial of funds for his productions by Japanese studios. In 1972, Dodes'ka-den producer Yoichi Matsue and his assistant Teruyo Nogami were approached by the Soviet studio Mosfilm for an adaptation of the Russian memoir Dersu Uzala to be directed by Kurosawa. On 1 January 1973, Matsue signed the deal on the condition that Kurosawa receive full creative control. Mosfilm wanted Kurosawa's frequent collaborator Toshiro Mifune to play Dersu, but Matsue convinced them otherwise as Mifune would not be attached to such a long production. Eventually, Tuvan actor Maxim Munzuk was cast. Mosfilm, like Japan's Toho studio that Kurosawa usually worked with, found it impossible to keep the perfectionist director to a tight budget and schedule.

## Release

Dersu Uzala was released in the Soviet Union in July 1975 and in Japan on 2 August 1975.
Following the release of the film, Kurosawa's director's compensation came in lower than expected, leaving him without income until he started producing his next film, Kagemusha.

## Reception
### Box office

Despite critical acclaim, Dersu Uzala had an initially relatively poor performance at the box office. The film sold 20.4 million tickets in the Soviet Union, and made $1.2 million in the United States and Canada. It also sold 994,988 tickets in France, 32,400 tickets in Sweden, and 48,265 tickets in other EU territories since 1996, adding up to 21,475,653 tickets sold in the Soviet Union and Europe.

### Critical response

Dersu Uzala gained generally favorable reviews among audiences and critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 75% based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 7.70/10.

## Legacy

The film was included by the Vatican in a list of important films compiled in 1995, under the category of "Values".