Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Plan to screen “John Rabe” starts in Japan




A Germany-France-China co-production film “John Rabe”, which depicts the Nanjing Massacre, has been widely appreciated around the world since its production in 2009, starring some famous Japanese actors, such as KAGAWA Teruyuki, EMOTO Akira, SUGIMOTO Tetta and ARATA. However, due to the controversy of the Nanjing Massacre, it has not been shown in Japan yet. This is about an issue concerning Japan but the film cannot be shown in the country. Some trade union activists challenged this deadlock to screen this film, and their move was supported by many Japanese cultural figures. Finally, the film is going to be screened at the Japan Education Center in central Tokyo on July 20, 2015 in view of Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s discourse on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, which will be made in August this year. The first executive committee meeting on the screening was held on April 23 in Tokyo. The campaign for the film screening now starts with the slogan, “Don’t hide! Let’s watch the film first!” (M)
* Photo: GOTO Michio (left) and SHIN Sugo (right) who attended the first executive committee meeting on the screening

南京事件・劇場未公開作品『ジョン・ラーベ』大上映会の企画スタート

南京の悲劇を史実をもとに描いた独仏中合作の映画『ジョン・ラーベ~南京のシンドラー』は2009年につくられ、極限下で苦悩する人々の姿を感動的に描いて、世界で高い評価を受けている。香川照之・柄本明・杉本哲太・ARATAも出演している。ところが南京事件をテーマにしていることで、配給会社はつかず未だに劇場未公開だ。日本の問題なのに日本で上映できない。「これはおかしい。自分たちの手で上映しよう」と労働組合活動家の有志が声を上げると、鎌田慧・雨宮処凛・辛淑玉・後藤道夫の各氏をはじめ多くの文化人が呼応した。そして、8月の「70年首相談話」を前に720日、日本教育会館で大上映会を行うことになった。423日には、第1回実行委員会が院内で開かれ約30人で「作戦会議」。「過去のマズイことにはフタはだめ、まず映画を観てみよう!」の大キャンペーンがいよいよ始まる。(M 


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