Inside Lens

Safecast is a non-profit organization and a global network dedicated to the effort of collecting and sharing radiation measurements. Immediately after the March 2011 disaster in Japan, a group of concerned citizens, who became the founders of Safecast, gathered in their desperate need for accurate information about radiation levels in Fukushima and other areas affected by the Dai-ichi nuclear meltdowns. Safecast developed a reliable Geiger counter that records radiation levels every 5 seconds and instantly posts the data on the Internet. The device’s open-source technology is made available free of charge to anyone who is interested. The endeavor is an exemplary model of citizen science making a positive contribution to society.

By the coastal belts of Bangladesh, in a small village named ‘Sutarkhali’, RAKHI (27) lives with her man SOUMEN (32) and their son RAHUL (6). Fighting against all the odds of the woods, along with around a 100 families, they cultivate the land for generations. On May 25, 2009 when RAHUL is only 4 years old, a tidal surge hits the coastal belts of Bangladesh. For RAKHI, SOUMEN and RAHUL life is not the same anymore. 'Are You Listening!' is about RAKHI’s hope to ensure a dignified future for her son RAHUL. It's about her jobless husband SOUMEN's frustration for failing to provide for his family and about a community’s struggle to get back the land they have lost. Seasons change topography, even relations… Yet after the rain... They go out with spades and shovels to reclaim the life again, Are You Listening!

Woo-suk Yun has spent her life in a fishing village along the Suncheon Bay in South Korea. Married to an alcoholic man, she has no time for rest. She has to work twice as hard as the others to make a living by working in the fields, fishing and selling her catch. However when her husband passes away she’s crying for the first time in 70 years. Beyond the beauty of the landscapes, Hongki Lee depicts the life of a woman who, going through a hard fate, accomplishes herself due to her work.

David Lai is a music prodigy. At age three, he taught himself to play the key board. At age 13, David was one of only 16 students admitted to the best music school in China. He has played piano with the world famous pianist Lang Lang at China’s National Opera house and taught himself to speak English as a native English speaker. But Daivd is blind and his family is poor. “Glimpse of Greatness” documents how David and his family overcome difficulties and continue pursing his dream of becoming a world class pianist.

More than four years have passed since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the coastal communities of Japan’s Tohoku region. Survivors are learning how to laugh again as they continue their long journey on the road to recovery. The film looks into the power of laughter as a way to heal psychological wounds, build community, and overcome tragedy.

The Ama are women free divers who collect shellfish from the ocean bed. They dive without tanks, holding their breath for long periods of time. This method of sustainable fishing has been a fiercely guarded tradition among coastal communities for centuries. But in a modern and fast aging society, youth are leaving their hometowns in search of better education and livelihoods. The film follows three generations of Ama in one family, exposes the challenges of the trade, and highlights the sacrifices one young woman is making in her effort to keep the tradition alive.

After living in Osaka for many years, Ayano Tsukimi decided to retire and live the rest of her life in her hometown of Nagoro. Since she returned several years ago, the village’s population has declined. To fill the void, Ayano spends her time making life-size dolls in the likeness of the villagers who’ve passed away. Today, 350 such dolls dot the landscape, repopulating a once-thriving community that has now fallen silent. The eerie display of dolls has given the village a renewed reputation, which attracts scores of tourists year round. The film gives us a unique insight into one of Japan’s most serious social issues, an fast aging population.

In the city of Sumida (Tokyo) where traditional cultural norms are the rule, Noemi Inoue has set out to change the city’s political landscape. She’s become the first non-Japanese woman in Japan to be elected to political office. Born in Bolivia, she pursued a high profile career at the Banco Central de Bolivia before landing a prestigious position at the United Nations in New York. That’s where she met her Japanese husband and eventually moved to Japan. She was elected to Sumida City Council on a platform of rejuvenating the city through tourism in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Animator and filmmaker, Nawruz, an immigrant from southern Philippines, has struggled to find a better life in old housing project, BLISS, for a decade. In 2015, even if he wants to stay in Manila, he feels it's time go back to his hometown. Before he leaves, he will make last-ditch efforts to stay in the big city? Can he find a good place for his love and future?.

Fumi and Kazu are life partners, both at work and at home. Together, they run Japan’s first and only law firm set up by an openly gay couple. As legal advisors, they fight for the rights of minorities, as well as people with low-income or those with no nationality. The film gives us a candid glimpse into the couple’s professional and personal lives as they struggle to help others who have been marginalized by society.

In anticipation of the looming labor shortage exacerbated by a construction boom ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese government has designed a plan to relax immigration laws and allow skilled laborers from overseas into the country to meet the demand. While the country faces a declining birthrate and an aging population, the film follows a construction company executive and a foreign worker who are both finding opportunities.

Bugs are highly nutritious and can help fight world hunger. Some enthusiasts in Japan are trying to create a new trend out of an old tradition: bug cuisine. They hope their efforts will help revitalize a battered regional economy, as well as sustain astronauts on their future missions to Mars. These Japanese cuisine pioneers put their creativity to work in convincing people that bugs can not only be tasty but also environmentally friendly and a sustainable food source.