In the summer of 1967, the Japanese government decided, without consulting the local population, to construct an airport in the agricultural district of Sanrizuka. The initially peaceful protests changed character when the farmers gained support from other groups. The actions took on a political dimension because Japanese airports were being used by the US for the Vietnam War. A unique coalition of farmers, students, and anti-war activists succeeded in delaying the construction of Narita Airport for several years.
To capture the struggle from within, filmmaker Shinsuke Ogawa lived among the residents of Sanrizuka for six years. The result is a stark, impassioned account of an unequal struggle: sticks and stones against tear gas and water cannons. The Battle Front for the Liberation of Japan – Summer of Sanrizuka presents the activists’ dilemmas from their own perspective—such as whether or not to use violence—and underscores the crucial importance of consultation and planning.
What dominates is the anger over the undemocratic conduct of the Liberal Democratic Party. Shinsuke would continue to follow and document the protests in increasingly hard-hitting documentaries.
Stills
Dead Angle is a multi-year focus program that uses documentary cinema to reveal what remains outside our direct field of vision. This year, it explores the act of finding common ground: how people come together through solidarity, collective resistance, community and public space.
Dead Angle is supported by Vfonds
