| 2001-08-29 | | | YIDFF Network special screenings |
In September of last year, the volunteer group YIDFF Network’s Masuya Shuichi & Shoko experienced an overseas film festival for the first time. They participated as individuals in the Taiwan International Documentary Festival 2000, an event with strong ties to the YIDFF, and decided as a result to introduce a number of the mainly Taiwanese films that they saw at YIDFF. Some of these works will be featured in the New Asian Currents section, while others such as The Lost Honor of Mountain have been chosen for inclusion in this special program. The Network has added several other films, and put together two special programs.
Compilation 1 “Memories of the Asian War (The Forgotten People)” (double feature)
As part of Japan’s expansionist aggression before and during WWII, many people from Asian countries were conscripted for the Japanese war effort and sent into battle, or were forced into service as “comfort women.” Now that we find ourselves in circumstances that are becoming rapidly more volatile, there are some things that we must never forget.
- The Lost Honor of Mountain
Dir: Lin Wan-yu (TAIWAN / 57 min.)
Many Taiwanese were sent to the battlefields as part of the Japanese military. This film presents the lives of these veterans and their families today. Their feelings for their past are mixed, having experienced a coming-of-age as Japanese nationals under colonialism. - Mardiyem
Dir: KANA Tomoko (JAPAN / 102 min.)
Indonesian Mardiyem was barely thirteen years old when she was forced to work as a “comfort woman” by the Japanese military. This is the story of her journey to find her past self.
Compilation 2 “Filming Yamagata” (double feature)
A continuation of the YIDFF’99 program, this series introduces works filmed in and/or about Yamagata.
- Good Friends, Good People
Dir: Masa (JAPAN, USA / 63 min.)
Our good friend Masa, a member of staff for the YIDFF on numerous occasions, recorded the backstage goings-on at the 1997 festival and interviewed staff, friends and numerous other people between breaks in his job. - 108 Smiling Faces
(JAPAN / 20 min.)
Produced by Yuza Machi Video Production Committee
A promotional video of Yuza Town, located in the northernmost part of Yamagata prefecture. The townspeople themselves lovingly completed this piece through a workshop on video production.
(MASUYA Shuichi, YIDFF Network Special Screenings programmer)