Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' Institute of Japanese Studies to hold ”2024 Japanese Subaltern Film Festival”

The Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' Institute of Japanese Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Foundation announced on the 29th that it will hold the event every Friday from 3pm in May at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Library Hall.
Four films are scheduled to be screened at this year's Film Festival: "The Story of the Burakumin" directed by Tatsuya Mori, "The Story of the Burakumin" directed by Park Sunam and Park Mai, "The Story of the Burakumin" directed by Hiroshi Sunairi, and "The Story of the Burakumin" directed by Yusaki Mitsuwaka.
Directors Park Sunam and Bakma will be online, while directors Mori Tatsuya, Sunari Hiroshi, and Mitsuwaka Yusaki will participate in the Film Festival in person, watch films with the audience, and have time for conversation. Admission is free.
The theme of this year's Film Festival, "Subaltern," refers to the weak who cannot speak and who have been forced into silence by the mainstream of Japanese society as a class dominated politically, socially, and culturally.
The opening film, "September 1923," vividly depicts the pain of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, which marked its 100th anniversary last year.
Director Mai recreates the labor and daily life of Korean victims through "Voices Resurrected." Next, "From Okinawa, With Love," which will be screened on the 24th, is a film by a photographer from Okinawa depicting the Okinawan military presence.
It depicts the love and friendship between black American soldiers and Okinawan women. "My Story, My Buraku Story," selected for the May 31st closing film, is a documentary that directly deals with the issue of discrimination against Burakumin in Japan.
It has attracted so much attention that it was ranked first in the 96th Kinema Junpo Best Ten Cultural Films in 2022. In particular, this work will be screened for the first time in Korea at the Subaltern Film Festival.
The organizers of this Film Festival are the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Institute of Japanese Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Support Foundation, a Korean Research Foundation Humanities and Social Sciences Research Support Foundation.
This research project aims to investigate the political and social issues that are being addressed by the mainstream of Japanese society.
The goal is to clarify the process and significance of the formation of subjectivity in which the "unspeaking" subaltern, who has been forced into silence as a politically, socially, and culturally disadvantaged person, is transformed into a "speaking" subject.
"Japan, Korea and the region of East Asia share a common history and have complex political and economic ties," said Park Yong-gu, head of the delegation.
The issue of the subaltern, which is related to human dignity, can be said to be an important theme for communication and coexistence in East Asia."