Despite being cut down by both the wartime Japanese government and the post-war US occupation forces, the original 1943 version of Muhomatsu no issho survives as a masterpiece of humanist cinema from a dark time. Miyajima, longtime righthand to legendary cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa, declared that he would restore Muhomatsu no issho even if it were his last act on earth – that was before the coronavirus. Wheels of Fate follows Miyajima’s quest to restore Muhomatsu no issho journeying between Tokyo, New York, and Lis- bon while recounting its fateful history using interviews, archival material, and animation. Director Hiroshi Inugaki won the Golden Lion at Venice in 1958 with a colour version starring Toshiro Mifune using the exact same script and storyboards. However, the unvarnished character of the original, made during the height of WWII by a cast and crew believing it would be their last work, has made it an irreplaceable piece of film history.