Violent far-left extremists in Fukushima? 中核派と福島

The Japanese translation of this blog, along with the full video (below) of the press conference with Japanese subtitles were added on August 4, 2015.  My gratitude to Sawaguchi Kayo for filming the press conference and to Lita Box for the translations.

5月12日の日本外国人特派員協会での記者会見の模様は、こちらからご覧になれます。
8月4日にこのブログの日本語翻訳そして、日本語字幕付きビデオも乗せました。
撮影：澤口佳代　翻訳：リタ・ボックス 

Today, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) hosted a screening of my film 'A2-B-C', which documents the health of children living in contaminated areas of Fukushima after the nuclear meltdown on March 11, 2011. The screening was followed by a press conference focused on the cancellations of the screenings of the film in Japan (INFO).

今日、日本外国特派員協会の主催により、『A2-B-C』の上映が行われました。この作品は、私が2011年3月11日後の原発メルトダウンにより汚染された福島県内のある地域に住む子どもたちの健康状態を追った映画です。上映後に記者会見を設け、日本国内におけるこの映画の上映キャンセルについてお話ししました。

Before the press conference began, I struggled with how I was going to explain something which I am still finding difficult to understand. I also see the issue of the cancellations of 'A2-B-C' as a symptom of a much larger problem affecting press freedom in Japan, and I was hoping that the screening and press conference could also be an opportunity to speak about this much larger issue.

記者会見が始まるまで、自分でも未だ理解に苦しんでいるこの状態をどうお話しするべきか悩みました。私自身、A2-B-Cのキャンセルはいま現在日本での報道の自由を左右しているもっと大きな問題の徴候であると感じています。ですので、この上映と会見がいまある社会的な問題全体を議論する場になれば、と思い会見に望みました。 

At this afternoon's press conference I was relieved to be able to announce that during a meeting this morning the Japan domestic screening rights to 'A2-B-C' were returned to me. I will now work toward re-establishing a process for organizing private screenings of the film. A DVD/ internet release of the film is not currently planned for the reasons outlined HERE.

会見の日の朝、私は上映委員会の関係者とミーティングを持ちました。そこで日本国内での上映権を監督である私のもとに戻すことが決まり、幸いにもこのことを今回の会見のなかでお知らせすることができました。今後、今まで停止していた自主上映の手続きを再始動させる予定です。しかしDVDとインターネットでの映画の販売は、これからも行う予定はありません。その理由はここに記してあるとおりです。

I would like to express my gratitude to the A2-B-C Screening Committee for their hard work to establish distribution of 'A2-B-C' in Japan. Through their effort, a theatrical release of the film, as well as dozens of private screenings, was made possible. While I find it unfortunate that it was decided that they could no longer be involved with the distribution of the film, I wish them the very best as we all move forward.

A2-B-C 上映委員会の皆さんには、これまでA2-B-Cの国内配給のため懸命に活動してくださいました。深く感謝を述べたいと思います。劇場公開や数々の自主上映が実現したのも、委員会の皆さんの努力のおかげです。この委員会でA2-B-Cの配給に関わることができないと決定されたのは残念なことですが、これからも委員会の皆さんのご活躍を祈ります。

Today's press conference

The attendees at today's press conference were there not only to see 'A2-B-C' but also to hear why the screenings of 'A2-B-C' had been cancelled.

今回の会見の参加者は、A2-B-C の鑑賞だけでなく、なぜA2-B-C の上映がキャンセルされたか、という私の説明を聞くために参加して下さいました。

The A2-B-C Screening Committee cancelled all domestic screenings of the film after learning that one of the mothers in 'A2-B-C' was rumoured to be a member of Chukaku-ha, a communist political group whose tactics in the past have included violent confrontations with the authorities. The medical clinic that appears in the film, where children are seen receiving thyroid examinations, was also said to be tied to this group.

A2-B-C上映委員会が国内上映をすべてキャンセルした理由は、映画に出てくる母親のひとりが、中核派と呼ばれる共産党系のグループの一員であることが噂されたことがきっかけでした。中核派とは、過去に体制側と時に暴力的な抵抗を行ったことがあるグループ、と言われています。そして映画の中で子どもが甲状腺検査を受ける場面で出てくる診療所も、同じく中核派に関わりがあると言われています。

It should be noted that in Japan the two main accusations that are hurled at someone to discredit them are that they are either ethnically Korean or communist; accusing someone who is speaking out of being Korean or a communist is a rhetoric often employed in Japan when no other logical argument can be found.

ここで、日本で誰かの面汚しをするために使われる中傷的な表現について記しておきたいと思いますが、その中でも頻繁に使われるのは「朝鮮人」と「共産主義者」のふたつです。これは、声を大にして意見を言う人々に対して、筋道の通った議論ができない人たちが攻撃のために使う呼び名です。

Leading up to the cancellations of 'A2-B-C', I had received an e-mail alerting me to an article that had been published in the Fukushima Minyu accusing a medical clinic in Fukushima (the one in my film) of having ties to Chukaku-ha.

A2-B-Cのキャンセルに至るまでの間に、私は福島の地方紙『福島民友』に掲載されたある記事のことをメールで知らされました。その記事には、映画に出てくる診療所が中核派との関係を持っている、と非難する内容が書かれていました。

【福島民友新聞】「ふくしま共同診療所」は中核派の拠点施設！反原発の砦！（ここ）

It was also brought to my attention that Chukaku-ha was using a political group called Nazen to organize private screenings of 'A2-B-C' in an apparent effort to raise money for their activities. Although the A2-B-C Screening Committee had been aware of these screenings, they were unaware of Nazen's ties to Chukaku-ha:

さらに、中核派はNAZENという名前のグループを通して、同団体の活動資金の確保のためにA2-B-Cの自主上映を行った、という情報も入ってきました。A2-B-C上映委員会はこのような上映が行われたことは知っていましたが、NAZENと中核派とのつながりに関しての知識はありませんでした。

全国で開催される診療所報告会＆『A2-B-C』上映会のご案内（こことここ）

 

 

I felt that whether or not a member of Chukaku-ha appears in 'A2-B-C' should be openly discussed, as should why this group may have established in Fukushima a medical clinic offering independent testing of children for radiation-related health issues. I also wanted to know if it was true that this group was attempting to use my film for political gain and felt this was something that should be investigated further and warranted a statement addressing the issue.

まず私は、中核派のメンバーがA2-B-Cに出演していたかどうか、ということや、なぜこのグループが子どもたちの放射線による影響を独自に検査するための診療所を福島に開業したか、ということはオープンに話し合われるべきだと感じました。さらに、このグループが政治的利益のために実際に私の映画を利用していたかどうかということについても確認したかったし、もっと詳しく調べた上でそれについて声明文を出すべきではないかと思っていました。

Wanting to distance myself from any political group that may try to use my film for gain while also making it clear that at no point during the making of 'A2-B-C' did I receive support from any political organization, I wrote a disclaimer that was posted to the film's website (HERE):

自らの地位を築くために私の作品を利用してしまうような政治組織からの距離を保つため、そしてA2-B-Cの製作にあたって今までいかなる政治組織からの援助も受けていないことを表明するために、私はA2-B-Cのウェブサイトに以下のような声明を掲載しました:

Unfortunately, this was not enough to dissuade the A2-B-C Screening Committee from cancelling all screenings of the film in Japan. Shortly after taking this action in March, the committee dissolved.

残念ながら、上映委員会が国内上映のキャンセルを考え直すためには、この声明だけでは不十分でした。今年3月に声明を掲載した後に、そのまま上映委員会は解散することになってしまいました。

What is Chukaku-ha? 中核派とは？

Having not even heard of this group before, I asked several people what Chukaku-ha is. Almost no one I spoke to could tell me anything of any substance about Chukaku-ha, and most people only said vague things like "I heard they are scary" or "I heard they did something bad in the past".

中核派とはどんなグループなのか何の知識も持たなかった私は、あらゆる人に中核派についてたずねました。しかしその中に、中核派についての知識がある人は一人もいませんでした。ほとんどが「恐いらしい」とか「昔悪いことをしていたらしい」などの漠然とした内容でした。

During my attempt to understand what Chukaku-Ha is, I was told that it had been designated as a terrorist organization by the US State Department and was sent THIS link which briefly describes the group's establishment in 1957 but with no activities listed beyond 1993. I was also sent a link to THIS Wikipedia article, which lists no activities beyond 1991. Despite not being able to find any information about current Chukaku-ha activities, a link to a recent Japanese government document listing domestic terrorist groups included Chukaku-ha.

中核派が何なのかを調べるなかで浮かんできたのは、中核派はアメリカ内務省のテロリスト集団のリストに入っているということでした。それから、ある方に送ってもらったこのリンクには1957年に組織が結成されたことなどを簡潔に説明してありますが、そこには1993以降の活動記録は何もありません。さらにこちらのウィキペディアのリンクも読みましたが、ここにも1991年以降の活動は何も記されていません。今現在の活動について何の情報も得られないのにも関わらず、日本政府の発行したリンクには、国内のテロリスト集団のリストに中核派の名前が含まれていました。

公安調査庁「内外情勢の回顧と展望（平成27年1月）」

http://www.moj.go.jp/content/001131174.pdf

p.62 中核派は，新運動体を結成し，大衆運動強化と各層の取り込みを企図

社会的に注目を浴びた事象をめぐる諸団体の動向（ここページ４）

A list of groups "under watch" appeared in the same document. These groups are:

• groups suing to stop the Futenma base construction
• groups who are anti-nuclear
• groups concerned with the Comfort Women issue
• any group considered to be against the Abe administration
  

Suddenly, any group identified as anti-nuclear was now a target for government surveillance.  In light of this, the decision of the A2-B-C Screening Committee to engage in what I see as an act of self-censorship began to make sense.

いわゆる国の「監視下」にあるグループの動向はこのように記されています：

• 普天間基地代替施設建設の中止を訴える運動を展開
• 慰安婦問題をめぐり政府の対応を追求
• 「再稼働阻止」を掲げて反原発運動を継続
• 政府が進める重要政治課題を捉え政権批判を展開

今や反原発をうたう団体はすべて、政府の監視下になってしまったということです。これを受けて、A2-B-C上映委員会が結果的に自己検閲をすることになったことの意味が、明瞭に見えてきました。

Today's press conference

During the Q&A following the press conference, I was asked if I had confirmed whether the mother in my film was, in fact, a member of Chukaku-ha. I had. At the urging of one of my colleagues, I contacted the mother in question shortly after the cancellations and asked her to meet. Before I could ask her about the rumours, she asked me why the screenings of 'A2-B-C' were cancelled.

会見の質疑応答のなかで、 A2-B-Cの中に出てくる母親が実際に中核派のメンバーかどうかを確認したのか、という質問を受けました。私はその時点で実際に確認していましたのでその内容を回答しました。上映のキャンセルが決まった後、私はある親しい人に勧められて実際にその母親に会いに行ってきました。彼女と話しはじめたとき、私のほうから一連の噂のことを尋ねる前に、彼女に、上映がキャンセルされたのは何故なのか、と訊かれました。

I asked her why she thought they had been cancelled, but she replied that she wanted to her it from me. "Because," I told her, "people are saying you are a member of Chukaku-ha."

私はそこで「なぜキャンセルになったと思いますか」と聞きましたが、彼女に「イアンさんの口から聞きたい」と言われました。私は「あなたが中核派だと思っている人がいるからです」と答えました。

"Oh, that's what I thought," she said. I asked her if it was true, if she really was a member of Chukaku-ha. "Yes," she admitted. "I am."

すると「ああ。そうだと思ってました」と彼女は言ったのです。本当にメンバーなのかと確認すると、彼女は「そうです。」と答えました。

Another person during the Q&A asked why the political leanings of one of the mothers in the film even mattered. After all, he suggested, it would be impossible to make a non-political film even if it was about Mickey Mouse.

また別の方は質疑応答で、なぜ映画に出てくるひとりの母親の政治的信条などが問題にならなければいけないのか、という質問をされました。この方は、どんな映画でも、たとえば主題がでミッキーマウスであろうと何であろうと、映画が非政治的であることなど不可能なのではないか、と発言されました。

I could not agree more. Anyone who can look at a scene of a child receiving a thyroid examination following a nuclear meltdown and still attempt to turn the focus onto the political views of that child’s mother is completely missing the point of the film.

その通りだと思います。メルトダウンのあった地域で子どもが甲状腺のスクリーニングを受けている場面を観て、この子の母親がどんな政治観を持っているのか、というところに焦点を移すなどという考えは、この映画の提示している問題の本質から外れていると思います。

The full video from today's press conference will be available tomorrow on the FCCJ channel (HERE).

Full video of press conference added May 13, 2015:

What money can't buy

Another post from the airport after another amazing time in Taiwan.  I am so grateful for this opportunity to visit Taiwan and to share my work.  My films may not make me lot of money, but they make me extremely grateful, honoured and provide me with a sense of purpose.  And those are things on which it is impossible to put a price.

I am now on the way back home to Japan, back to my real life, and the real issues I am facing.

Thank you all so very much for your continued support and encouragement.

Much Peace,
Ian

PS  A few highlights of my last day in Hualien:

Top right: "Caution: Culture".  Bottom Right: "Creativity Ahead".

My first time on a moped!

Black tapioca pearls as big as eyeballs, served with shaved ice and sweet tofu.  Delicious!

I can not get enough Stinky Tofu.  LOVE it!!!

Drinks together with the TIDF staff after the last screening.

Food Porn

Taiwan = Wonderful People + Amazing Food

And no trip to Taiwan would be complete without a visit to a Night Market, home to some of the most delicious (and cheap!) food one can find here.  While each city's night market has a unique local spin on traditional foods made with homegrown delicacies, what they share in common is a family-friendly carnival atmosphere where visitors can eat themselves into a blissful frenzy without breaking the bank.

Last night's highlights: "Stinky Tofu" (which smells like, well, not something edible, but tastes awesome!), a burrito-looking wrap filled with vegetables and sweet peanut powder, grilled corn on the cob, and some of the most delicious seasonal fruit Taiwan has to offer.

I am extremely grateful for this much-needed opportunity to rest, re-fuel and re-charge after the past two months.  Life is precious.  And all to short.

Love me truly

Walking around today we saw banners for the tour of Taiwan International Documentary Festival's (TIDF) all over the city of Hualien.  With time for a quick snack before today's screening of '-1287' (INFO), we stopped for an "8 Treasures" dessert, eight kinds of sweetened beans atop of a giant mound of shaved ice.  Yum!

Today's screening took place in the Showtime Cinema, where TIDF took over part of one floor of this giant cinema complex.  When we arrived, I was extremely honoured to find that it was a full house, with many young people and students in the audience!

Many important questions were raised during the hour-long post-screening discussion.  I always cherish these opportunities to receive questions from audiences who have engaged with one of my films, as often it is not until I am asked to explain something in words that I truly come to understand what has only until then been a collection of thoughts in my head.  At the same time, however, I must also admit that the sometimes very personal nature of the discussions, especially those after '-1287' can sometimes be quite difficult as they often tend to be focused more on theoretical, existential themes, like life, death and, often, love.

A question near the end of the discussion from a young student in the audience caused me to think about something in the film in a way in which I had never thought of before.  She asked if anything about how I thought about love had changed through the making of '-1287'.  After pausing for a moment, I said that I felt Kazuko, through providing us with an opportunity to think about our own deaths, inspires us to think about the way in which live.  Money and things are not important, she reminds us.  What is?  Health, family, happiness and love.

As I was speaking, I remembered something Kazuko had revealed in the film.  "If only I had been truly loved," she had said, "I could have lived more honestly."  As I repeated her words out loud, I suddenly realized something that ran shivers over my entire body.  For all of us, the opposite of what Kazuko said is also true: If only I had lived more honestly, I could have been truly loved.

The truth and honesty with which Kazuko shares her story with us before she dies is what allows us to love her.  And this is all that she had ever longed for in life.  

But how many of us live our lives this honestly, allowing those who try to do so to love us for who we really are?

Influences

With a day off between screenings of '-1287' during the Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival (TIDF) touring festival (INFO), there was time today to take in the beauty of Hualien.  First stop on our tour was Pine Garden, site of a military camp established by the Japanese military during the occupation of Taiwan.

Next we visited the beautiful arc-shaped Hsincheng Catholic Church with its fascinating Buddhist influences such as a temple gate and lion statues standing guard.

In the afternoon, we visited the peaceful grounds of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation.

 And our tour ended with a visit to the rocky beach and a nearby lighthouse...

Photo-reel-ism

A three-hour train ride from Taiwan's capital, this is my first time in the gorgeous ocean-side city of Hualien, where tonight's screening of my film '-1287' kicked off the Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival (TIDF) tour here (INFO). 

Held at Timelight 1939, a former Japanese residence from the period of occupation, the screening was followed by a talk entitled "When Camera Comes in Between: An Intimate Vision" which focused on the ethical and moral boundaries of documentary filmmaking.  Taiwanese documentary director Mr. Shen Ko-shang joined the discussion which was moderated by TIDF Programmer Ms. Fan Wu.

As the talk immediately followed the screening of '-1287', the conversation included questions from the audience specifically relating to the film.  The last question of the evening: "How does one keep a 'safe distance' from one's subject when filming?"

I explained that making a film is no different than any other relationship one has in life.  There is no "safe distance" that can be kept if one ever wishes to have a meaningful relationship.  We must open ourselves up to the possibility of being hurt while trusting that the person we care for will not hurt us.  At a "safe distance" one could never truly know love. 

with the audience at Timelight 1939

with TIDF Festival director Mr. Wood Lin

with TIDF tour staff

There was a wonderful surprise waiting when I arrived at the screening: TIDF had commissioned Mr. Yan Jhen-fa, the last practicing painter of movie posters in Taiwan, to create a portrait of Kazuko.  More about Mr. Yan Jhen-fa and the lost art of painting movie posters can be found in THIS AP News article.

Cinco de Mayo is for kids

With a trip to Fukushima for filming on a new documentary and with filming/ editing on another new documentary here in Tokyo (more on that soon!), it has been a busy couple of weeks since returning from the US for screenings of 'A2-B-C' in Nebraska (INFO) and '-1287' in the Oregon (INFO).

After a wonderful dinner last night that was followed by traditional sweets for Children's Day, May 5, (PHOTO below, info about the sweets called "Chimaki" HERE), I am now at the airport. Again!

Over the past two years, I have had the honour of being invited to Taiwan several times to screen two of my films, 'A2-B-C' (2013) and '-1287' (2014).   I was last in Taiwan in the autumn for the Asian Premier of '-1287' (INFO) which was held in the Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF). While the main festival is held in Taipei, TIDF also holds a touring festival throughout the year which travels to cities all over Taiwan.  I am honoured that '-1287' (WEBSITE) has been selected to screen in the touring festival and am grateful for the additional honour of being invited to attend some of the screenings, which will also provide an opportunity to visit more places outside of the capital.

The full list of screenings of '-1287', which run through August, can be found on the TIDF website HERE.

I will be hitting the ground running when I get home, with a press conference about the cancellation of screenings of 'A2-B-C' being held the day after I return (INFO), followed by three solid weeks of intensive editing on the new documentary.

Press Conference, take two!

Following the sudden cancellation of all domestic screenings of my documentary 'A2-B-C' last month (INFO), the Foreign Correspondents'' Club of Japan (FCCJ) will be hosting a Screening and Press Conference about the issue on May 12 at 14:00 (INFO).  

This is almost exactly two years to the day that the FCCJ hosted a Screening and Press Conference about the film on May 13, 2013, ahead of its World Premier in Germany (INFO).  That the film is still making headlines two years later is testament to the effect that the story of these courageous mothers and children has had, and the cancellation of screenings of the film speaks volumes about media freedom in Japan post-Fukushima.

ドキュメンタリー上映と記者会見
イアン・トーマス・アッシュ、ドキュメンタリー映画『A2-B-C』監督
 
５月１２日（火）１４：００－１６：００
*１４：００－１５：１５ ドキュメンタリー上映/１５：１５：１６：００ 記者会見
（スピーチ、Ｑ＆Ａ：英語）

Ashland, no relation

The past few days at Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF WEBSITE) have been filled with some of the best films at one of the most hospitable film festivals I have ever had the honour of attending.  Held in the charming city of Ashland, Oregon (home of the Shakespeare Festival INFO), this little town is known for a cultural scene that is enormous.

The AIFF screenings and events are held at various venues most within walking distance of the town centre, and a filmmakers' lounge, daily events and nightly parties held with the sponsorship of numerous local businesses and organizations ensures that festival-goers are kept well fed and watered*.

* with plenty of local beer and wine!

Filmmakers' event at Noble Coffee

Accommodation for visiting filmmakers is generously provided by some of the beautiful local hotels, inns and B&B's.  I was extremely grateful to stay at Parkside Cottage adjacent to the gorgeous Lithia Park, which was designated as one of the top ten Great American Spaces by the American Planning Association in 2014 (INFO).  The neighbours were lovely.

The Parkside Cottage and its neighbours

Lithia Park

My film, '-1287' (WEBSITE), screened six times during the festival in one of the smaller theatres of the Varsity (INFO).  Screening in an intimate venue provided a wonderful space for post-screening discussions, and I am so grateful that rather than one single screening in a large venue that my film screened multiple times for a smaller audience.  It was such an honour to be able to attend five of the six screenings held during AIFF, where the audiences are intelligent, engaged and simply love film.

It was an additional honour that the five screenings of '-1287' I attended went into "rush" prior to the beginning of the festival, "rush" meaning that all tickets were reserved and seating was only available on the day if a ticket-holder did not show up (rush INFO).  Having multiple sold-out screenings prior to the start of the festival was something I had never experienced and was truly humbling.

The post-screening discussions were emotional, deep, discussions, filled with some of the most raw and honest questions I have ever had the honour of being asked.  AIFF places great importance on these Q&A sessions and schedules plenty of time between screenings so that they never feel rushed.  The discussion following the last screening of the film, which was held this morning before I left for the airport, lasted for over 40 minutes, and was the most amazing post-screening discussion I have ever had for any one of my films.

@ 2015 AIFF

@ 2015 AIFF

The Ashland Independent Film Festival staff, volunteers, venues, sponsors and audiences are some of the best in the world (and they have a great name, too*).  I am very much looking forward to attending a future edition of the festival, and with two films currently in production, who knows when that might be...

I am now at the airport on the way back home to Japan, and am looking forward to being home and to getting back to work filming.  Thank you all so very much for your continued support.

*  No relation. ;)

To remember is to have forgotten

Arriving in Lincoln on Tuesday I was honored to share a meal with, among others, Wayoro Madoka, director of the Kawasaki Reading Room, one of the sponsors of my visit to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  In the evening, we attended a recital by Doctor of Musical Arts student Masayoshi Ishikawa (program below and HERE).  I was first contacted by Ishikawa-san last year after he had learned of my documentaries filmed in Fukushima.  Originally from Fukushima, Ishikawa-san had been living in the US since before the March 11, 2011, disasters and had wanted to see the films about his home prefecture.

My films became one of the influences for his composition "Suite for the Forgotten", and in his introduction to the performance, Ishikawa-san referenced a scene from 'A2-B-C' (WEBSITE) in which a 17 year old high school student says that one of the biggest problems in Fukushima is that people are starting to forget what happened.  During the second movement of the suite, Ishikawa-san sat at the piano where he played and sang (chanted?) words from a 500 year old poem.  In it, a lover declares, "if you say you remember me, it means that you had forgotten me." 

It was a humbling experience to speak with Ishikawa-san after the recital and to hear how his work had been influenced by mine.  I have always felt that my role as a filmmaker is to record the voices and stories of the people I document, but to then have those voices interpreted into music was something I had never even imagined.  I am also so grateful to Ishikawa-san for bringing my work to the attention of the Kawasaki Reading Room and asking them to sponsor my visit and film screening (INFO), thus also enabling me to attend the recital.

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The video of the recital has just been uploaded here:

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Over the next two days, I visited four classes at the university including one for directing feature films, one public speaking and two that were using media to affect social change.  I always enjoy visiting classes and receiving questions from students about my work especially when asked through the context of what they are studying.  Often it is when I am asked how or why I do what I do that I begin to think about it deeply for the first time.  Having to verbally explain something forces you to order and to put into words what until then had only ever been thoughts.

Ishikawa-san graciously agreed to reprise the second movement of his suite following the screening of 'A2-B-C' last evening.  As the credits rolled, he began to play the first chords of his composition, the emotion in the film, in the room and the music joining together in a finite beauty that will only ever be known to the people who were present in that room and one that can never again be repeated.

I am now at the airport on my way to Oregon for the Ashland Independent Film Festival where the North American Premier of my film '-1287' is taking place (INFO).  As I think about how the film, documenting the last years of my friend Kazuko's life, is dedicated to her memory, I begin to hear Ishikawa-san's composition at first faintly in the distance, but then growing louder.  The mind works in mysterious ways.

Momentarily Losing Focus

In the midst of what can only be described as a challenging few weeks, my ability to endure some very stressful situations has been tested.  Forgetting an important appointment and misplacing the keys that I eventually found in my thrice-checked pocket (but not before missing my train) were sure signs I was reaching my limit. 

But when I could not find my camera while I was packing the night before an important interview in Fukushima two weeks ago, I knew my threshold for being overloaded was about to be crossed. Sinking to my knees, I knew that my camera had not been stolen but that I had left it somewhere... although I could not even remember the last time I had seen it, let alone where I might have left it.

Using my diary to reconstruct where I had been over the previous two weeks, I realized that I must have left it on the train ten days earlier.  Not only had I lost my camera, but it had taken me ten days to realize it (!).  The end to a much longer story is that with the help of a friend and through a series of phone calls, I learned that my camera been found and turned in to Japan Rail (JR).  Yes, one of the many reasons I love Japan!

But there was one hitch: after the camera remained unclaimed for a week, it had been turned over to the police.   I had left the camera on the train on the way back from my last trip to Fukushima where I had recorded a very sensitive interview, and I prayed that the registration of a lost camera did not include viewing the contents of the SD card!  At the police station, I was able to identify the serial number on the camera and after filling out several forms and showing my ID, the camera was back safely in my hands.  I am guessing they had not watched the footage...

Camera back in hand, I have refocused and am seeing a clear way forward.  Although 'A2-B-C' still can not be shown in Japan after the cancellation of all screenings of the film last month (INFO), I continue to search for a solution that will allow screenings to resume.  In the meantime, screenings abroad continue freely, and I am currently at the airport in Tokyo on my way to the US where 'A2-B-C' will screen at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Thursday (INFO).  I will also be visiting four classes to speak on topics such as civic advocacy, political engagement and the shifting media landscape.

On Friday I will fly to Oregon where I will be attending the North American Premier of my new film  '-1287' (WEBSITE) in the Ashland Independent Film Festival (April 9-13).  '-1287' will be screening six times during the festival (INFO).

Screenings of '-1287' will continue around the world with a visit to Taiwan in May and Germany in June (INFO)!  Thank you all so very much for your support!

Peace,
Ian
Tokyo, Japan