Bashing (2005)

Yuko volunteered to be an aid worker in Iraq and was taken hostage there. When freed she returned to Japan, but after being home six months she is still the ongoing object of harassment ... See full summary »

Director:

Masahiro Kobayashi

Writer:

Masahiro Kobayashi (screenplay)

Stars:

Fusako Urabe, Nene Ohtsuka, Takayuki Katô

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Fusako Urabe	...	Yuko
Nene Ohtsuka	...	Yuko's step mother
Takayuki Katô	...	Koibito
Kikujirô Honda	...	Father's Boss
Ryûzô Tanaka	...	Yuko's father
Teruyuki Kagawa	...	Hotel-shihainin

Storyline

Yuko volunteered to be an aid worker in Iraq and was taken hostage there. When freed she returned to Japan, but after being home six months she is still the ongoing object of harassment from her own countrymen. A co-worker finds many angry postings on the Internet denouncing her and spreads them very vocally, causing her boss let her go. He tells her that the atmosphere at the hotel where she works as a chambermaid has changed negatively as a result. Several anonymous phones are made daily to her at home where she lives with her father and stepmother, saying that she is an embarrassment and disgrace to Japan. She is even harassed by strangers on the street after buying soup at a local convenience store, ruining her dinner. Her boyfriend dumps her, calling her actions as a volunteer in a foreign country selfish, that she should have stayed in Japan and only helped her own community. Yuko's father supported her decision to go to the Middle East, and he defends her actions after her ...

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Plot Keywords:

iraq | volunteer | journalism | leftist | torment | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

3 June 2006 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Desonra

Filming Locations:

Tokyo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monkey Town Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

User Reviews

we should know why she did these actions

Few years ago there were abduction issues, Japanese woman held hostage in Iraq. This story wrote her circumstance in home town and what neighbors and friends did her after hostage.

In Japan we learn "Don't make waves" from earlier ages. Japanese tend to be equal to others, which means nobody like different act from others. This heroine went to prohibited country and engaged to nursing. When held hostage in Iraq, we, Japanese, hoped to come back Japan and Japanese government did their best. Finally she returned home. We were pleased to see her back. However we discussed in mass-media why she went to this kind of dangerous country in spite of governmental prohibition. If she were not in Iraq, there were no abduction issue. This discussion is close related to our mentality, "Don't make waves". Many people thought she was stranger and she made wave. So some people attacked her and her family.

I'm also Japanese and I understand this kind of image to her.

But we should know why she did these actions. And treat her based on understanding of her opinion.

At the movie she said. In Japan I was loser and nobody needed me. However in Iraq I was useful person and could support lots of people. Many children hugged her. This is a key to know her.