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== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
The film spans from March 11th 2001 to September 19th 2011, starting with Noland's own experience in the [[Tōhoku Earthquake and tsunami]], [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster]] followed by volunteer activities in [[Ōfunato, Iwate|Ofunato]]<ref>http://imaginepeace.com/archives/15129</ref>
The film spans from March 11th 2001 to September 19th 2011, starting with Noland's own experience in the [[Tōhoku Earthquake and tsunami]], [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster]] followed by volunteer activities in [[Ōfunato, Iwate|Ofunato]]
<ref>{{cite web
| title = Imagine Peace
| url=http://imaginepeace.com/archives/15129
| accessdate = 20 March 2012 }}</ref>
After meeting with volunteers and residents of the affected region that stated huge oversights in the disaster management, Noland continued to volunteer while going on an investigative journey through the [[Tōhoku region]]. He set out to [[Minamisōma, Fukushima]] near the crippled [[Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant]] to speak to the Mayor who had appeared on Youtube<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70ZHQ--cK40</ref> with a distress call that the [[Japanese Government]] had neglected the town during the [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster]]. He then returned north to the [[Miyagi Prefecture]] to interview officials abut the crisis management of the Tsunami victims. <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a-_nDTcgU0</ref>
After meeting with volunteers and residents of the affected region that stated huge oversights in the disaster management, Noland continued to volunteer while going on an investigative journey through the [[Tōhoku region]]. He set out to [[Minamisōma, Fukushima]] near the crippled [[Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant]] to speak to the Mayor who had appeared on Youtube<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70ZHQ--cK40</ref> with a distress call that the [[Japanese Government]] had neglected the town during the [[Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster]]. He then returned north to the [[Miyagi Prefecture]] to interview officials abut the crisis management of the Tsunami victims. <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a-_nDTcgU0</ref>


Revision as of 06:29, 25 March 2012

"Surviving Japan"
Theatrical movie poster
Directed byChris Noland
Written byChris Noland
Produced bySimon Hilton
Starring
  • Kouichi Oyama
  • Chris Noland
  • Helen Caldicott(archive)
  • Yumie Keller
  • Hisako Miura
  • Yuka Nihei
  • Kimiaki Toda
  • Katsunobu Sakurai
Narrated byChris Noland
CinematographyChris Noland
Edited by
  • Andrea Hale
  • MB X. McClain
Music byJoel F. Wilson
Running time
90 minutes
LanguageEnglish/Japanese

Surviving Japan is a 2012 documentary film about the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunamiand the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan written and directed by volunteer and resident Chris Noland.

Synopsis

The film spans from March 11th 2001 to September 19th 2011, starting with Noland's own experience in the Tōhoku Earthquake and tsunami, Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster followed by volunteer activities in Ofunato [1] After meeting with volunteers and residents of the affected region that stated huge oversights in the disaster management, Noland continued to volunteer while going on an investigative journey through the Tōhoku region. He set out to Minamisōma, Fukushima near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to speak to the Mayor who had appeared on Youtube[2] with a distress call that the Japanese Government had neglected the town during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. He then returned north to the Miyagi Prefecture to interview officials abut the crisis management of the Tsunami victims. [3]

While on the same food delivery mission that May, he met a woman in Ishinomakithat had been denied food and shelter stating she felt "thrown away as a Japanese citizen[4] which led him to further investigate and document the events.[5]

Noland went back to Tokyo, where he interviewed Tokyo electric power company in an effort to gain a better understanding of the impact of the disaster.[6] Unsatisfied with the little amount of information, he went on to interview more residents who shared the same frustration.[7]

In June Noland returned to theTōhoku region to volunteer and see how the people, communities, officials and cities were coping with the rebuilding efforts and Radiation. [8] He spent the entire summer visiting the largely hit communities of Miyako,Kamaishi, back to Ōfunato, Rikuzentakata, Kesennuma, Minami Sanriku and Ishinomaki.

[9]

By August Noland saw another distress call from Minamisōma again on youtube, this time from a city councilman.ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSvfro1Hwco </ref> Noland contacted the councilman through the volunteer network and arranged a meeting after checking on citizens affected by high levels of Radiation in Fukushima cityand Kōriyama. It was Noland's conclusion that despite everything, the most important thing was the childrens' safety in the Radioactive contamination and further awareness of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that he felt the media had ignored.

Making appearances in the film are Helen Caldicott, founder of PSR; professor Cham Dallas a disaster management specialist; Kimiaki Toda, Mayor of Ofunato; Tokyo Electric Power Company, owner and operator of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant; Katsunobu Sakurai, Mayor of Minamisōma and Kouichi Oyama, City Councilman of Minamisōma.

Production

Surviving Japan was conceived, directed, filmed and narrated by Chris Noland. This is first documentary and first film. Executive producer was Simon Hilton; producers were Madoka Miyoshi, Kai "Oswald " Seidler , Martin Peter Murray and Chris Noland; Cinematographer was Chris Noland; editing was done by Chris Noland, MB X. McClain and Andrea Hale; sound editor and mixer Gary Mula; Soundtrack contribution of "Kurushi" by Yoko Ono.

The documentary was made in exactly 1 year. Noland began the project as a one man crew until September when he was joined by MB X. McClain to edit over 100 hours of footage down to 180 minutes until Noland moved back to the United States in late November to finish post-production with editor Andrea Hale. Noland credits the moral support of Yoko Ono, Simon Hilton, and Imaginepeace.com for their undying support during his one man production. [10]

Surviving Japan premiered at Simon Fraser University on March 10th 2012 for the 1-year anniversary of the disaster [11][12]. The film is currently on the film festival circuit.

The proceeds of the film will be used to create a fund for reconstruction in the Tōhoku region and victims of Radiation in Fukushima Prefecture.

Reception

Media Response

Surviving Japan was immediately picked up by CBC Radio Canada "The Current" [13] Stating "Earlier in the show we heard from Oyama Koichi, he's a city councillor from a community near Fukushima. He's been critical of Tokyo's handling of the disaster. He's featured in a new documentary called Surviving Japan by film maker Christopher Noland. Today we gave Oyama Koichi the Last Word. "[14] CBC Television interviewed Yumie Keller, an evacuee from Minamisōma who appeared in the film.

The film has received a deluge of press from Vancouver, Canada [15][16] [17] [18] and Noland's birthplace in Washington State. [19][20][21]

References

  1. ^ "Imagine Peace". Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70ZHQ--cK40
  3. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a-_nDTcgU0
  4. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3h-HACUOeI
  5. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2262171/
  6. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z2UJagSL6c
  7. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/1221254309/ID=2208497621
  8. ^ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=148331783
  9. ^ http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/339672--film-maker-finds-unique-way-to-explain-the-japan-disaster
  10. ^ http://imaginepeace.com/archives/15129
  11. ^ http://www.straight.com/article-620421/vancouver/forum-weighs-nuclear-risk-our-health
  12. ^ http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/339672--film-maker-finds-unique-way-to-explain-the-japan-disaster
  13. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2012/03/07/mothers-of-fukushima-against-nuclear-power/
  14. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2012/03/07/the-winter-that-wasnt-bird-migration/
  15. ^ http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Nuclear+plant+crisis+from+over+activist/6286875/story.html
  16. ^ http://vancouver.keizai.biz/headline/1449/
  17. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2012/03/07/the-winter-that-wasnt-bird-migration/
  18. ^ http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2012/03/07/mothers-of-fukushima-against-nuclear-power/
  19. ^ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=148331783
  20. ^ http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017741115_quakeevents14m.html
  21. ^ http://www.kplu.org/post/washington-man-directs-new-japan-disaster-documentary
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