On Friday, 9/11/15 at 7 pm, CRS (Center for Remembering & Sharing) and friends invite you to a film program and Q&A about the ways in which the people of Japan continue to grapple with the myriad effects, both seen and unseen, of the ongoing Fukushima nuclear disaster. Light refreshments will be served. Tickets are $15 and children may sit on the floor for free. All proceeds after $150 expenses (for the space and refreshments) will go to the filmmakers. Special thanks to Mar Creation, Inc.

THE PROGRAM (in Japanese w/ English subtitles)

Little Kyota Errand Hood  20′, 2014, dir. by Satsuki Okay
A2-B-C  70′, 2013, dir. by Ian Thomas Ash
Q&A by Skype with A2-B-C director Ian Thomas Ash (in English with Japanese interpreter provided)

Narrative short “Little Kyota Errand Hood” focuses on the way that children and parents apprehend the invisible threat of possible radiation exposure and the conflicts and relationships that their attitudes spark. Feature documentary “A2-B-C” documents the growing number of children suffering from nose bleeds, skin rashes, and thyroid issues and the difficulty of receiving reliable information about the radiation threat from the authorities. Both films illustrate the ways in which Japanese parents have sought to take charge of the situation and implement their own solutions to care for their families and communities.

Sept 11, of course, marks the 14th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center as well as the 4.5 year anniversary of the Tohoku Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Disaster in Japan. Both events triggered many responses. While the films on this program are set in Japan, they speak also to life in  the aftermath of 9/11 and other environmental disasters around the world:  the not knowing whether the area is toxic or unsafe; not being able to get reliable information from the government; not knowing whether to relocate or return; not knowing whether subsequent illness are caused by the disaster or not; not knowing whether to live everyday with constant caution or to adopt a qué será, será attitude and provide children with a sense of normalcy. It is our hope that this program will promote greater understanding of the difficulties that these man-made disasters cause and renewed compassion for and solidarity with the people trying to live through them and prevent them.

ABOUT THE FILMS

Little Kyota Errand Hood, 20′
dir. by Satsuki Okawa | 2014
in Japanese with English subtitles
http://littlekyota.tumblr.com/

Three years since Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, a young boy named Kyota befriends a new girl in town, Shiori. Sharing similar eccentricities, the children decide to embark on an adventure together. But neither of them realizes what is at stake.

New York Japan CineFest
Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival
Heartland Film Festival
Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival
Aichi International Women’s Film Festival
Sapporo Short Fest
Kiryu Film Festival