[KineJapan] More problems for Shusenjo

[Takenaka, Akiko]

This reminds me of the stuff that Peace Osaka went through before they were forced to “renew” their exhibit a few years ago. Many years ago, I interviewed people at the Kawasaki City Museum who were in charge of the exhibits—it seemed like most of them thought of themselves as activists who needed to really get the ordinary people’s war experience out there. But given what happened to Peace Osaka, I can understand their fear.

--
Akiko Takenaka, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Associate Department Chair

Department of History
University of Kentucky
1733 Patterson Office Tower
Lexington, KY 40506
a.takenaka at uky.edu<mailto:a.takenaka at uky.edu>
https://history.as.uky.edu/users/ata225

On Oct 28, 2019, at 9:58 PM, Jeremy Harley via KineJapan <kinejapan at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:kinejapan at mailman.yale.edu>> wrote:

The women who answered the phone (apologies for not getting her name, calling people like this is not remotely my strong suit and I got nervous and forgot to ask) mentioned many things, and I would heartily ask everyone to call them and let them know what you think--->044-953-7652

The background to what she said is quite possibly what Markus writes, but one point she made was that as opposed to Image Forum or all the independent screenings of the film, since tax money was involved they thought they were particularly 狙われやすい (I guess I would translate this as "more likely to be targeted", although there are other ways to interpret it).
Right-wingers in Japan can be really f**ing scary, I can vouch for people's genuine fear in these situations, and I have activist friends who volunteer as guards at screenings of films like these.

Again, presumably there was pressure from many places.

Jeremy



On Tue, Oct 29, 2019 at 10:12 AM Jeremy Harley <jeremyharley at gmail.com<mailto:jeremyharley at gmail.com>> wrote:
I see.

On Tue, Oct 29, 2019 at 10:04 AM Markus Nornes <nornes at umich.edu<mailto:nornes at umich.edu>> wrote:
They are concerned about problems at the screening? I mean, it's still showing at Image Forum for months. If someone was going to burn the theater down it'd be an empty lot by now. This stinks of political interference—at least sponsors expressing enough concern that the festival organizers fear for their funding down the road.

Markus


---
[X]
Markus Nornes
Professor of Asian Cinema
Department of Film, Television and Media, Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, Penny Stamps School of Art & Design

Department of Film, Television and Media
6348 North Quad
105 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1285



On Mon, Oct 28, 2019 at 8:50 PM Jeremy Harley <jeremyharley at gmail.com<mailto:jeremyharley at gmail.com>> wrote:
We should call them. I will call later today, but what's the best question to ask, I wonder. The director blames concerns of Kawasaki City in the statement you posted. So would the question be to ask Kawasaki City why they couldn't work with the police to provide some degree of protection for the citizens working on the festival?
What's the solution in these situations? Presumably they are genuinely afraid.

Jeremy Harley
Mabashi Wonderland Movie Festival

On Tue, Oct 29, 2019 at 5:59 AM Markus Nornes via KineJapan <kinejapan at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:kinejapan at mailman.yale.edu>> wrote:
Miki Dezaki's film just got pulled, Aichi Trienalle Style, from a small film festival in Kawasaki. Disgusting.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/10/4ea093c14799-japan-film-festival-decides-not-to-show-comfort-women-movie.html?fbclid=IwAR0QO_OFQgc00DMQojyPnSQDuZjk8W4LfRXaonI64MYv-ZX_HLKWw6MUJkE<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fenglish.kyodonews.net%2Fnews%2F2019%2F10%2F4ea093c14799-japan-film-festival-decides-not-to-show-comfort-women-movie.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0QO_OFQgc00DMQojyPnSQDuZjk8W4LfRXaonI64MYv-ZX_HLKWw6MUJkE&data=02%7C01%7Ca.takenaka%40uky.edu%7Cdf1af319a75a4077e43608d75c139a67%7C2b30530b69b64457b818481cb53d42ae%7C0%7C0%7C637079111617608109&sdata=twfqgn%2FksF3BjxDq3GNBkYvOOpnvyRzfd66CFvf8AGM%3D&reserved=0>

Wakamatsu Pro protested the action by pulling two of their films.

Here is the festival's. official statement: https://www.main.siff.jp/release<mailto:cinema-uma@siff.jp>

Markus


---
[X]
Markus Nornes
Professor of Asian Cinema
Department of Film, Television and Media, Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, Penny Stamps School of Art & Design

Department of Film, Television and Media
6348 North Quad
105 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1285

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