Instagram Live Q&A held with Japan Cuts in NYC

Today (Aug 31) a live Q&A about "Ushiku" was held at 8PM EDT in the US (9AM Sept 1 JST in Tokyo) on Instagram with Louis, one of the film's protagonists, and Professor Ai Kihira-Hunt, Associate Professor at The University of Tokyo. WATCH: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTQouxtpmWa/

"Ushiku" is screening ONLINE in the US in Japan Society's JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film until Sept 2: https://film.japansociety.org/film/ushiku/

 

"Ushiku" to screen in Belgium

Honoured to announce that "Ushiku" will be screening in the Electric Shadows Asian Film Festival in Antwerp, Belgium on September 5 (https://www.electricshadows.be/production/ushiku/). 

 

Meanwhile, On Demand screenings continue in the US until September 2 in the Japan Society's JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film (https://film.japansociety.org/film/ushiku/) where the film was recently named one of Asian Film Festivals' eight films you shouldn't miss (https://asianfilmfestivals.com/.../film-shouldnt-miss.../). 

 

"Ushiku" can also be screened On Demand in the US from August 30-September 9 in the I Will Tell International Film Festival (https://iwilltell.com/video/ushiku/), and in Korea from September 9-16 in DMZ 국제다큐멘터리영화제 DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (https://www.dmzdocs.com/.../00000001/program_view.asp...). 

 

For more about the issues the film documents, we are rolling out our Impact Campaign on the film's website and Instagram page.

 

HP: https://www.ushikufilm.com/en/

Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/ushikufilm/

Thank you for your support.

"Ushiku" introduced on NHK World program J-FLICKS

Extremely honoured by the coverage of my documentary Ushiku in the newest episode of the NHK WORLD-JAPAN program J-FLICKS. 

I was grateful that an entire 6-minute segment was dedicated to the film, and was particularly humbled by the following exchange:

 

Host Sarah Macdonald: "I've said it before, I'll say it again: Nippon Connection - Japanese Film Festival has a special place in my heart. Now of the films screened this year, I think Ushiku was particularly impactful, a really harrowing film. What did you think of it?"

 

Filmmaker and commentator John Williams: "I think Ushiku is probably one of the most important films that's been made in Japan in the last decade or so. And... I would like everybody to see this. It seems that people just have no idea what's going on in these detention centers in Japan and the way that asylum seekers and refugees are treated here in a really appalling and inhumane way. "

 

And I was utterly floored that NHK World (the international broadcast service of NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster) aired so much of the footage I filmed and obtained from inside the detention center in Ushiku. Using tax dollars to expose the government's systematic violation of human rights is exactly what a public broadcaster should be doing.

 

The episode aired four times on August 21st and 22nd and can now be viewed for FREE until September 4 On Demand here: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/.../en/special/episode/202108210910/ The segment about Ushiku begins 28 minutes into the broadcast. 

 

Our mission in making this film and the accompanying Impact Campaign is to create widespread domestic and international awareness of the immigration injustices occurring in Japan and to help works toward an immigration system in Japan where all refugees are recognised through a just, timely, and transparent process.

"Ushiku" to screen online in the US in Japan Cuts FF

映画「牛久」アメリカ上映！Friends in the US: "Ushiku" will be screening ONLINE in the Japan Society's JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film starting TOMORROW (Aug 20) through Sept 2.

 

From the JAPAN CUTS catalog:

 

"(The film) utilizes hidden cameras to interview detainees at Ushiku beginning in late 2019, who detail inadequate medical treatment, failure to recognize trans peoples’ gender identity, physical abuse and hunger strikes, all as the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic rages in the background, and Japan promotes a surface-level image of acceptance and inclusion in the name of the Tokyo Olympics."

 

"Ushiku" TRAILER:

https://youtu.be/HadlfyQ-dH8

 

SCREENING INFO:

https://film.japansociety.org/film/ushiku/

 

ONLINE TICKETS:

https://film.japansociety.org/page/japan-cuts-2021/

 

For more about Japanese Immigration facilities:

The family of Wishma, a Sri Lankan woman who died in March following mistreatment at a Japanese immigration center, said she was "treated like a dog" after the government disclosed Thursday security camera footage of her final days.

 

Wishma is the 17th detainee to die at a Japanese immigration center since 2007, according to the Immigration Services Agency.

 

ARTICLE: https://mainichi.jp/.../arti.../20210813/p2g/00m/0na/008000c

 

映画「牛久」アメリカ上映！アメリカの友人へ。「牛久」がジャパン・ソサエティーの「JAPAN CUTS」でオンライン上映されます。明日（8月20日）から9月2日まで、ジャパン・ソサエティーの「JAPAN CUTS：Festival of New Japanese Film」でオンライン上映されます。

JAPAN CUTSのカタログより。

“（本作は）2019年後半から牛久の収容者に隠しカメラを使ってインタビューを行い、不適切な医療処置、トランス・ジェンダーの人々に対しジェンダー・アイデンティティを認めないこと、身体的虐待、ハンガー・ストライキなどの事実を詳細に語っている。

COVID-19パンデミックの脅威の中にありながらも、東京オリンピックの名の下に、日本は表面的には受容とインクルージョンのイメージをアピールしている。”

日本の入国管理施設については、こちらをご覧ください。

 

ARTICLE: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20210811/ddm/012/070/093000c

 

日本の入国管理センターで虐待を受けて3月に死亡したスリランカ人女性、ウィシュマさんの家族は、政府が木曜日にウィシュマさんの最期の日の防犯カメラの映像を公開した後、彼女が「犬のように扱われた」と述べました。

入国管理局によると、2007年以降、日本の入国管理局で死亡した収容者はウィシュマさんで17人目。

"Ushiku" to sceen in two upcoming festivals in the US and one in Korea

I am honoured to announce screenings of my documentary "Ushiku" in Japan Society Film's Japan Cuts FF (USA, Aug 20-Sept 2), I Will Tell International Film Festival (USA, Aug 30-Sept 9) & DMZ 국제다큐멘터리영화제 DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (Korea, Sept 9-16).

 

I will be posting more information, including links to find out more about how to view the film in the online festivals, soon.
 

Find out how asylum seekers to Japan are treated when the world is NOT watching the Olympics and the Paralympic Games with their Refugee Olympic Teams.