Set in Japan during the 17th century, this conventional costume drama tells of the persecution of Christian converts in the feudal society of the time. Christianity alone was not the target, it was only one part of the perceived threat of Western civilization. Christofa Ferrera (Osamu Takizawa) is a Portuguese priest who is tortured and ends up giving forth the names of converts. In order to "test" the suspected convert's true faith, the person is asked to step on an image of Christ, the worst possible offense. If the individual refused to desecrate the image in that way, he or she is imprisoned, tortured, and executed. Eventually, the Portuguese priest gains courage from the actions of the laity but the killing does not stop. This was one of the entries in competition at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.
by Eleanor Mannikka
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