while most american film-makers have steered clear of the issue of agent orange (fear of monsanto / dow lawsuits?), japanese director masako sakata has been ensuring its impact is never forgotten
in 2007, she made the film agent orange - a personal requiem after the death of her husband, greg davis. davis was a vietnam war photographer exposed to defoliants in the late 1960s and sakata's documentary picked up the Mainichi Documentary Film Award and Special Prize at the Paris International Environmental Film Festival.
today her latest film received its tokyo premiere to a packed iwanami hall crowd. living the silent spring deals with the children of soldiers from the u.s. and vietnam who had been poisoned by agent orange during the 1960s and '70s.
i was fortunate enough to receive an invite to the opening showing. the studio had asked me to write an essay for the film's brochure about the transportation, storage and spraying of agent orange on okinawa - in order to bring the issue home to members of the audience.
living the silent spring makes it clear that, although the first defoliant flights took off 50 years ago, this is far from a historical problem. the grandchildren of those exposed continue to suffer from dioxin poisoning and the ground&water where agent orange was used is laden with poison still.
you can watch a trailer for the film here
living the silent spring is on show in tokyo until 20 october before it is released across japan.
i'll keep you up to date when its international dates are confirmed...
jm
