Monday, April 11, 2011

One month today

It is one month today that the earthquake and tsunami hit.

So much has changed in this time. There are the things that have changed for Japan, and especially the people of Tohoku. And there are the things that have changed within us.

This country will be forever changed. And so will we.

This past week, amid so many aftershocks, amid so many questions I have found it hard to keep my focus. "What is the purpose in all of this?" I ask myself.

It is this 'purpose' I am searching for when filming.

For a moment today I felt as if I should have filmed something to commemorate the one month anniversary of this terrible event. But that is too clinical, too orderly, too clean a thing to do for me.

The chaos of the last month will not be neatly fitted into compartments labeled "One Month", "Six Months", "One Year". And the same is true for our feelings as well. People's feelings aren't fixed as easily as the words "doing better", "getting over it" and "healed" would have us believe is possible.

It is one month today that the earthquake and tsunami hit.

I want to tell you something meaningful and hopeful and insightful and significant about this milestone. And yet, all I can tell is that today we are marking one month since the terrible events of March 11.

6 comments:

timerty said...

You should have filmed the anti-nuclear public protests in Tokyo.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Hi Ian! I'd love to hear more from Japan's current situation. I can actually read them from online sites but you provide videos like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzuNV3VS2R8 so right now, is Tokyo still experiencing panic buying? What about schools? Are they all continuing regular classes? Are almost all of the people in Tokyo migrating out of Japan? What about the electricity? Does the Southern part of Japan also experience blackouts or are they also migrating out of Japan? And most important of all, what's the current news about the nuclear power plants? I have a lot more to ask even if you might think that I shouldn't be asking you but my hands are full and your documentaries are the ones that I find insightful and it is what I've easily searched. One of the things that I'm working on is about nuclear radiation so if you don't know much about them and about other ways of preventing it, I'd be my pleasure to send you informations regarding this matter which I think will help you in taking preventive measures with regards to the radiation in Japan. I'll send it after one or two weeks.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ian! I'd love to hear more from Japan's current situation. I can actually read them from online sites but you provide videos like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzuNV3VS2R8 so right now, is Tokyo still experiencing panic buying? What about schools? Are they all continuing regular classes? Are almost all of the people in Tokyo migrating out of Japan? What about the electricity? Does the Southern part of Japan also experience blackouts or are they also migrating out of Japan? And most important of all, what's the current news about the nuclear power plants? I have a lot more to ask even if you might think that I shouldn't be asking you but my hands are full and your documentaries are the ones that I find insightful and it is what I've easily searched. One of the things that I'm working on is about nuclear radiation so if you don't know much about them and about other ways of preventing it, I'd be my pleasure to send you informations regarding this matter which I think will help you in taking preventive measures with regards to the radiation in Japan. I'll send it after one or two weeks.

Wendy said...

I first saw your films on Ian O'Neill's Discovery News online report. This is the first coverage of the disaster that has really hit home for me. I have never been outside of the United States, and most of the time I feel so disconnected to what's going on in the rest of the world. Your intimate video's of interviews with local people has given me an entirely new perspective on Japan and this disaster. I just want to say Thank You, and please keep up the good work!

Joe said...

I'm sure that whatever moves you to film next will be meaningful and great. Your coverage of the human side of the tsunami and earthquake were/are the best I've seen. Keep up the good work Ian!