When we think about US or Europe we cannot avoid thinking of a so called melting pot culture. Nowadays as a matter of fact many foreigners, once immigrants, refugees or simply people who wanted to change the place they lived, are making new our traditions, societies and economies. Sometimes they restored what was lost. This happens since people are living beings and society they create changes as well as and together with them. However another country of the so called developed world seems to be different. A country where a monolithic culture is said to be present. We are speaking about Japan. And if we think this way we are doing a huge mistake. For two main reasons. And this movies make us understand this more clearly. First, Japan has a culture made of an unique syncretism since centuries. Most of the writing as well the Buddhism and the tea arrived from the continent and the modern lifestyle from the West. Maybe nowhere, as in Japan, cultures were so accepted and suited by the people. Second, modern Japanese are traveling around the world as well as many people are visiting Japan for the same many reasons (work, tourism, study). Maybe in this second case the numbers are not so high as in other countries of the West (the 2% according to this movie) but still higher than in the past. This second reason in particular is important since it shows how Japan society is going to change or, if it hasn't already started, need to. People differ as well as cultures. But the feelings are the same. So loving someone and having a family is a natural fact. And a fact that can show a new social perspective, however, that can brings a lot of benefits too. This is what is going nowadays in Japan. A country facing a new reality. Or, in other words, a new challenge. Watching this film we understand that mixed roots families and new born children are rising. They are the so called Hafu or half people, mixed. And this production is about them. First of all this term is not offensive since only Japanese use it and with no racist intention. Then, as this movies explain, many of the hafu raised in Japan prefer living there still trying however to make them more accepted as an unique heritage of experience and point of view in a country facing a lot of problems. As the decreasing of birth rate. In addition, because of their mixed culture of origin they can help mutual understandings between Japan and the rest of the World,necessary in particular in this period of worldwide tension. On the other hand, we witness how Japanese half people raised outside the Land of Rising Sun, can visit it to discover their old heritage while growing up as individuals before going back. Since society is changing accepting the other is a challenge that, if won, can bring a lot of advantages. Japan can do it. As did in the past with cultural traditions. And this movie should make think how important is a new generation not only of Japanese half people but of new individuals that can make a place, in this case Japan, where different roots can be shared and join to create something new. The overall pace of this film is that of a documentary film with the stories of five hafu showing the hardships as well as the moments of happiness they have as any other else. But what makes this movie a good instrument of analysis, as well as a different view of society, is that underlines how the unique heritage this people have, must be considered not an obstacle but and advantage, not only for the themselves, but for all the society. For the future Japan. That, we hope, can be more mixed rooted. More HALF.
3 Reviews
OK as an intro to what it's like to be biracial in Japan. Fails as a documentary film.
CarterMitchell2 December 2015
The number 1 reason why anyone would watch this film is because they are half-Japanese or have a half-Japanese family member. People have been giving this film a high rating but that is probably only because there haven't been any other (notable) films that cover this topic. One could see this film as an "introduction to the half-Japanese experience". However, this film fails quite a bit as a documentary film. Great documentary films tend to expose viewers to an aspect of a particular person's life and makes them ask questions that they didn't even consider before. However, the filmmakers' visions are muddled and their approach is questionable.
This film follows four half Japanese people and one biracial family. Sophie, an Australian Japanese girl who is Australian and grew up in Australia. She goes to Japan, lives with her Japanese relatives, and purports that she's interested in learning Japanese but quickly gives up her studies and only hangs out with English speakers. Unlike the other three subjects that grew up in Japanese culture, her experience seems a bit out of place. Furthermore, the filmmakers' main statement for this film is about "how Japan is becoming multinational". I'm not really sure why they would cover a subject who gave up on Japan without really trying to learn Japanese or its custom. I went to see this film with an Australian friend who actually worked hard to learn adequate Japanese and she was pretty annoyed by this.
The other subjects are more enlightening. However, instead of "showing", this film "tells". One subject states "how tiring it can be to continuously having to explain his background". The filmmakers could have easily accumulated footage of him being constantly asked the same thing over and over again or other Japanese people reacting with bewilderment. However, such scenes were non-existence(there was one quick scene that briefly address this). It felt like a poetry reading than an actual film.
One subject's story mainly focuses on the group he's running rather than his story and it felt like an advertisement for the organization rather than a documentary. Again, it really felt out of place. And although I am biased, I have had dealt with Mixed Roots Japan before and my opinion of them are pretty poor. I'm sure they have done some good but I find their views to be pretty strict and are extremely unwilling to consider other views and their focus on race is intense to the point that it is pretty racist. The members would go on about how they want more "half black members" and get excited when there's one. I personally have never treated people based on their color and to me, this is treating people as a curio object and not as a person. I find their views really disturbing and I personally don't want them to represent the entire biracial community in Japan.
Overall, it's good to have a film like this. However, as a documentary film, it fails miserably and unless you have a significant interest in this topic, you'll be coming out disappointed. I wasn't convinced that "Japan is becoming more multicultural" and the anecdotes within this film are mostly self-contained and you don't see these subjects interacting with "the regular non-biracial Japanese crowd" that much. Biracial people have lives outside of biracial group they are running or telling anecdotes about their experiences. This documentary could have explored what their day to day lives were like and given a more overarching glimpse into their lives.
This film follows four half Japanese people and one biracial family. Sophie, an Australian Japanese girl who is Australian and grew up in Australia. She goes to Japan, lives with her Japanese relatives, and purports that she's interested in learning Japanese but quickly gives up her studies and only hangs out with English speakers. Unlike the other three subjects that grew up in Japanese culture, her experience seems a bit out of place. Furthermore, the filmmakers' main statement for this film is about "how Japan is becoming multinational". I'm not really sure why they would cover a subject who gave up on Japan without really trying to learn Japanese or its custom. I went to see this film with an Australian friend who actually worked hard to learn adequate Japanese and she was pretty annoyed by this.
The other subjects are more enlightening. However, instead of "showing", this film "tells". One subject states "how tiring it can be to continuously having to explain his background". The filmmakers could have easily accumulated footage of him being constantly asked the same thing over and over again or other Japanese people reacting with bewilderment. However, such scenes were non-existence(there was one quick scene that briefly address this). It felt like a poetry reading than an actual film.
One subject's story mainly focuses on the group he's running rather than his story and it felt like an advertisement for the organization rather than a documentary. Again, it really felt out of place. And although I am biased, I have had dealt with Mixed Roots Japan before and my opinion of them are pretty poor. I'm sure they have done some good but I find their views to be pretty strict and are extremely unwilling to consider other views and their focus on race is intense to the point that it is pretty racist. The members would go on about how they want more "half black members" and get excited when there's one. I personally have never treated people based on their color and to me, this is treating people as a curio object and not as a person. I find their views really disturbing and I personally don't want them to represent the entire biracial community in Japan.
Overall, it's good to have a film like this. However, as a documentary film, it fails miserably and unless you have a significant interest in this topic, you'll be coming out disappointed. I wasn't convinced that "Japan is becoming more multicultural" and the anecdotes within this film are mostly self-contained and you don't see these subjects interacting with "the regular non-biracial Japanese crowd" that much. Biracial people have lives outside of biracial group they are running or telling anecdotes about their experiences. This documentary could have explored what their day to day lives were like and given a more overarching glimpse into their lives.
Disappointing take on multiculturalism
cn699125 January 2020
I was excited to see a film on this topic had been released. Even though I avoid identity related stuff because most times you're forced to take sides with the respective "minority group "for better or worse, I thought I'd give it a chance because why not.
It was high time we had a film like this that would help dispel any misunderstandings derived from the typical "you won't ever assimilate into Japanese society" comments you read everywhere. Also, it's always interesting when you are offered a local view on a country's phenomenon or issue.
Who but biracial individuals would be able to answer all of our questions, right?
Unfortunately that just didn't happen. And the reason behind this documentary's failure is its approach. Even though we are covered when it comes to the film presenting people from different backgrounds, you don't see a cohesive narrative that ties their experiences together. Because to start with that is almost impossible to accomplish.
If everyone of them is a unique human being, regardless of the fact that they are "half" Japanese, why do we get to see such a poor depiction of their lives? If "Japan is changing" as the film claims, why not take advantage of this opportunity to show this group of people leading normal lives in this country? Why the atmosphere of this film is so uncannily tense? Is it possible that this film was not meant to be biographical?
Besides this, the lack of interaction between "them" and the "locals" is so ridiculously scarce that it doesn't make this film look human at all. It is difficult to understand also why the biracial group is never pictured having an in-depth discussion with each other at any moment. The film then loses the opportunity of holding water and bringing about a cathartic moment or scene where at least a couple of them compare their experiences in a dialectical and natural way.
One-sideness should not prevail on a production of this sort. Otherwise this was a good effort and the camera work is also good.
It was high time we had a film like this that would help dispel any misunderstandings derived from the typical "you won't ever assimilate into Japanese society" comments you read everywhere. Also, it's always interesting when you are offered a local view on a country's phenomenon or issue.
Who but biracial individuals would be able to answer all of our questions, right?
Unfortunately that just didn't happen. And the reason behind this documentary's failure is its approach. Even though we are covered when it comes to the film presenting people from different backgrounds, you don't see a cohesive narrative that ties their experiences together. Because to start with that is almost impossible to accomplish.
If everyone of them is a unique human being, regardless of the fact that they are "half" Japanese, why do we get to see such a poor depiction of their lives? If "Japan is changing" as the film claims, why not take advantage of this opportunity to show this group of people leading normal lives in this country? Why the atmosphere of this film is so uncannily tense? Is it possible that this film was not meant to be biographical?
Besides this, the lack of interaction between "them" and the "locals" is so ridiculously scarce that it doesn't make this film look human at all. It is difficult to understand also why the biracial group is never pictured having an in-depth discussion with each other at any moment. The film then loses the opportunity of holding water and bringing about a cathartic moment or scene where at least a couple of them compare their experiences in a dialectical and natural way.
One-sideness should not prevail on a production of this sort. Otherwise this was a good effort and the camera work is also good.
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