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Argo Pictures Going Ahead With Plans To Screen ‘Yasukuni’

It shouldn’t come as a shock that representatives of the Yasukuni Shrine do not like a Chinese director’s new documentary that reportedly paints their shrine and some of the things that happen there in a negative light, but the fim’s distributor isn’t giving up:

Movie distributor Argo Pictures said Monday it will go ahead with plans to screen a controversial documentary on Yasukuni Shrine across Japan in early May as scheduled, despite a request from the Shinto shrine to delete some of the content.

Argo Pictures, which was given two weeks by the Shinto shrine last week to reply to its demand, said it will consult with lawyers and file a written reply by the deadline.

Last Friday, the Tokyo shrine, where most of the 123-minute-long film “Yasukuni” was shot, asked Chinese director Li Ying and the distributor to delete some of the content, saying they failed to follow due process.

Update: You might also want to check out this news article about Argo Films holding a special preview screening of the film for right-wing activists. (hat tip to Kevin)

17 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - April 15, 2008 at 2:44 pm

Categories: General Japan Tags: japan, nationalism, news, yasukuni

Kevin

I think it’s also important to mention here that there will be another preview showing of this film targeted mainly at rightwing group activists.
It seems that rather than sit back and let politicians decide the fate of this film they are hoping to get these conservative groups to make up their mind regarding the slant of the film.
I personally hope more people go to see it simply because some debate is better than no debate.
http://pontasmemorandum.blogspot.com/2008/02/let-diaglogue-between-j-and-nj-begin.html ponta

One of the right wingers is praising this movie and proposing an open discussion and laments the way black van type of right wingers handle this matter.

私は、この映画を見て、素晴らしい映画だと思った。

http://kunyon.com/

Actually the way some politicians and some right wingers handle this movie has only contributed to promotion of it despite their intention.

doinkies

Actually the way some politicians and some right wingers handle this movie has only contributed to promotion of it despite their intention.

Yeah, I think so too. Controversy sells, after all.

the overthinker

Like the movie “Expelled” in the US right now….

ダビ

You don’t need permission from Yasukuni to make a film about Yasukuni or even to use footage of Yasukuni. Ignore their requests and release the film already.

dood

Really? I’d like to hear more details please.

ダビ

So if I want to make a film about Paris I need to ask for permission to use (my own) footage of the Eiffel tower? You can’t copyright a “view”.

Yasukuni is in a public space. I can go there shoot however much I want and use the footage for whatever I want. If I’m shooting _inside_ the temple they can of course throw me out, but they obviously didn’t throw these guys out when they were making the movie so it’s too late now.

dood

Hmm, I think that firstly, Japan and Paris are two different jurisdictions. Laws may be different in the two countries regarding filming. And I’m not sure if Yasukuni is considered public space. But even if it is, I’m not sure if anyone and everyone can just traipse in and take pictures.

They may have allowed the director to film freely, but that may be on the condition that they have the final say as to which scenes of Yasukuni will be included and which will not. But isn’t something like this just common courtesy? I mean, I know someone who published a book which featured a lot of pictures of people in it. But before he had it published, he asked each and everyone of those people if it was okay if he had their faces published.

hoihoi

i dont know why do not those right wingers support tibet.LOL
folosa

Yasukuni is a Shrine. A religious place. You have to ask permission if you want to make a film about a church to the people who are in charge of that church. The point is not that the movie is anti Japanese. It is the way it was made which is a problem. He filmed without permission for instance and broke alot of rules while hiding behind the argument of free speech when that is not the issue. Making anti Japanese movie is nothing new and I think most people including right winge Japanese are fine with that but eventhough you make an anti Japanese movie one should still respect the rules.

Now despite him breaking various codes of honour and rules the film will be shown in various places and the distributor even engage the right wingers into the debate. I think Japan is showing alot of class here. Condemning right wingers makes you no better than one. You can disagree with them or agree with them but in a free society all opinions should be welcomed eventhough you disagree with them.

ダビ

Of course you can make a film about a church without that church’s permission. I bet there are loads of critical films about the Vatican, Mormons, Scientologists and others.

http://deleted parkmount

Churches and shrines are not public properties in Japan, where their constitution stipulates that any branch of the government conducts their business at arm’s length. So, those churches, temples and shrines are not funded by tax or public money. If you step into their property for purposes other than what the establishments have permitted, you may be subject to prosecution if a religious organization presses a charge against you. The issue several politicians have made is not about the content. They have objected that this movie was funded by the tax money through the agency for the arts and culture.

The fund is supposed to be granted only for the projects of artistic and cultural subjects matters not related to political nature. The producer may have breached the condition of their funding.

As I have seen the video that the producer appeared on the Chinese TV (possibly state run?) and was discussing on the movie for a ‘one on one’ interview show, it’s quite clear that he has political motivation as everybody knows in Japan that the Chinese government has, is and will use the subject matter for political leverage. I was quite surprised that this producer guy is stupid enough to have appeared on the show in Chinese Television. We all know that Chinese TV outlet is state run and is under their government control and censorship.

The Japanese politicians wouldn’t have screamed if this movie had been made with a private fund right from the beginning.

ダビ

You are criticising the circumstances under which the film was made. You may well be right.

However, whatever those circumstances were the film has now been made so neither the government nor yasukuni or even the swordsmith have a veto on the screening of the film. The only exception to that would be if the swordsmith could convince a court that the film constitutes slander, and I highly doubt he could.

For my part I just want to see the film as soon as possible. The reason is that unlike you I am not convinced this is the usual Chinese propaganda.
http://deleted parkmount

I don’t think the government would care whether or not the movie is shown.
They care the money the producer has lied about to get from our tax. That demonstrates lack of his integrity as an artist. Enjoy your B movie.
dood

Well, it looks like Yasukuni isn’t considered public space after all.

And I would just like to restate that the director may have been allowed to film only on the condition that Yasukuni has the final say as to which scenes to include, and which not too.

George

Its probably Swedish Commmunist propaganda.
Toe

Well, it’s time to play everyones favorite card! I think it’s racist to assume that just because the director is Chinese, Japanese (representatives) wouldn’t like it. If it’s a ‘fair’ showing, they would, if not then no.

Argo Pictures Going Ahead With Plans To Screen ‘Yasukuni’

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