Hibakusha, Our Life To Live

A film (in progress) by David Rothauser

Life is a precious gift. May we live it without fear.

PRESS RELEASE

David Rothauser of Memory Productions is producing, in collaboration with Videosphere and Japanese filmmakers, a one hour documentary film about the life stories of Japanese, Korean, Chinese and American hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

There is an URGENCY here as the survivors (Hibakusha) are dying off, victims of radiation poisoning and other a-bomb related diseases. It is equally important to tell the stories on film of people who should never be forgotten. To keep their memory alive is to make an active contribution to a world where peoples of all races may embrace life as a precious gift and no longer live in the fear of nuclear annihilation.

To date, memory Productions has completed 30 hours of filming, including interviews with Japanese, and Korean Hibakusha and international youth participating in the 60th Anniversary Peace Ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Your assistance as individuals, as organizations and corporations is requested. You may participate in this important educational film by making tax-deductible contributions to our fiscal sponsor, the Community Church of Boston. The names of contributors donating more than $ 1,000.00 dollars will be included in the film credits.

Memory Productions has gained the support of people and organizations including: WGBH-TV-Boston; Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima; Yuzou Sekigawa, Consul for Culture and Information, the Japanese Consulate in Boston; John W. Dower, Ford International Professor at MIT (Pulitzer Prize recipient for his book Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II); Mariko Bando, Vice President, Showa Women's University (former Koizumi Cabinet member); Mochinobu (Mike) Shimo, author and historian, Shinichiro Noriguchi, Professor, University of Kitakyushu; Faith Nobuko (Araki) Barcus of Showa Boston Institute for Language and Culture; Paul Arenson of Tokyo Progressive and Japan Independent Media; Yumi Kikuchi, Founder of Global Peace Campaign; Japan Confederation of A-Bomb Sufferers Organizations and Korean Hiroshima Bomb Survivors Association; the Peace Abbey of Sherborn, MA; the Peace Pagoda of Leverett, MA; Brookline PeaceWorks and Artists for Peace and Justice affiliated with United for Justice and Peace; and numerous individuals worldwide with a burning desire to survive. Memory Productions also affiliated with David Mauriello, www.stagewrightfilms.com. David Mauriello, Executive Producer of Hibakusha, Our Life To Live and The Diary of Sacco and Vanzetti.

David Rothauser is the writer/producer of the docudrama, "The Diary of Sacco and Vanzetti" aired on WGBH-TV in 2004 and 2005.

SYNOPSIS

"HIBAKUSHA, OUR LIFE TO LIVE" is the story of Japanese, Korean and Chinese (including Asian-American) survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

A 60-minute mixed documentary, the film focuses on the daily life of Eiji Nakanishi, a musician and world citizen. No mention is made of him or the other characters as Hibakusha until later in the film. We trace Eiji's life through photos, memories, and relationships.

We establish the characters of Eiji and the character of Japan so the audience gets to know him as a person, and Japan as a culture independent of World War II. Eiji's music and songs form a link between him and other Hibakusha.

The film begins with the relationship between Eiji and Yoko, a seven year-old girl whom Eiji teaches to play guitar and sing folk songs.

Slowly the film introduces other Hibakusha.

We contrast their joys and sorrows; sharing a good conversation, a cup of tea. Most importantly we make a connection between Hibakusha and younger generations. The interaction between Eiji, Yoko and the other Japanese forms a generational link. This takes place during preparations for the traditional peace festivals when children and adults work together to bring art, music and dance to the 60th anniversary of the bombings.

Just as the festivals reach their height of commemoration, we see, through stark photographic imagery, and discordant sound, the connection to Peace Day, and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Here the audience learns how Hibakusha from the U.S, Korea, and China were trapped in Japan during the war and suffered the fate of their Japanese brothers and sisters. Hibakusha voices then speak out for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Other voices plead the case of peace through the power and the justification of using the atomic bomb.

The contrast of voices crying for life balanced by the music, revelry and dancing of children and adults, an affirmation of life, will underscore the serious theme of a nuclear free world. The film concludes at the Peace Park in Hiroshima where Yoko, sitting on a river bank, struggles to find notes on Eiji's Guitar.

The film is intended to be a celebration of life and remembrance, a uniting of all people in the spirit of Hibakusha.

MEMORY Productions. David Rothauser 39 Fuller Street, Brookline, MA 02446
Tel: 617 232-4150

The Filmmaker

WRITER/TEACHER/PRODUCER, David Rothauser co-produced the Blue Ribbon winning docu-drama (American Film Festival, NYC) "A Good Example: Bertolt Brecht and HUAC". He is also a recipient of the Sacco-Vanzetti Social Justice Award and producer of the film "The Diary of Sacco and Vanzetti", broadcast on WGBH-TV, Boston, 2004 and 2005.