The Apology (film)
The Apology | |
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Directed by | Tiffany Hsiung |
Produced by | Anita Lee |
Cinematography | Tiffany Hsiung |
Edited by | Mary Stephen |
Music by | Lesley Barber |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 104 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Language | English |
The Apology is a 2016 documentary film by Tiffany Hsiung about three former “comfort women” who were among the 200,000 girls and young women kidnapped and forced into military sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The film is produced by Anita Lee for the National Film Board of Canada.[1][2]
Hsiung, who worked on the project for nearly a decade, has said that she encountered reluctance at times to re-opening such a painful topic: "One of the other challenges was speaking to villagers in China, for instance, who would not understand why I wanted to make a film on this topic. There is ongoing resistance to talking about atrocities because there is some shame about how they were even allowed to happen." She had also been concerned that her three elderly subjects might not live to see the finished film, during such a long production process.[3]
Synopsis
Some 70 years after their imprisonment in so-called “
As the film unfolds, their history and the struggles that have shaped them and continue to impact their lives come into view. Intimate scenes of daily routines and affectionate exchanges with friends and loved ones provide a glimpse into how they have managed to carry on despite their traumatic experiences. These moments also reveal the many complex choices the grandmothers have had to navigate throughout their lives – and continue to navigate—as survivors. It becomes painfully clear that the past lives on, along with the challenges the inheritors of their legacy will continue to face.
Grandma Cao lives in a remote village surrounded by mountains in rural China, where what happened to hundreds of local girls after they were kidnapped has long been an open secret among the old-timers. Fiercely independent, Grandma Cao insists on living alone despite the protests of her loyal daughter, who has been unaware of her mother's story. It is only when a historian requests her testimony of her experiences that Grandma Cao agrees to break decades of stoic silence about her painful past.[3]
In
Whether they are seeking a formal apology from the Japanese government or summoning the courage to finally share their secret with loved ones, their resolve moves them forward as they seize this last chance to set future generations on a course for reconciliation, healing, and justice.
Cast
The film features three former comfort women:
Activists Zhang Shuang Bing and
Release
The Apology had its world premiere at the 2016
See also
- Within Every Woman, a related 2012 documentary by Hsiung on Japanese sexual war crimes in World War II
References
- ^ a b c Scheck, Frank (19 May 2016). "'The Apology': Hot Docs Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ "Subjects in Japanese comfort women documentary heroes, director Tiffany Hsiung says (audio interview)". CBC News. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ a b c Garcia, Maria (2017-06-09). "'The Apology' examines the painful legacy of Asia's 'comfort women'". Film Journal International. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
- ^ McSheffrey, Elizabeth (24 March 2016). "Documentary on WWII "comfort women" reflects National Film Board's commitment to gender parity". National Observer. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ "Activist group on mission to collect 100 million signatures for comfort women – The Korea Times". www.koreatimesus.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
- ^ Knight, Chris (2016-12-01). "Japan's 'comfort women' — sex slaves used in WWII — demand The Apology". National Post. Retrieved 2016-12-05.
- ^ National Film Board of Canada, The Apology, retrieved 2020-03-22
- ^ "NOW Magazine". 22 March 2016.
- ^ Hyo-won, Lee (14 October 2016). "Busan: Vision Awards Go to South Korean Indie Filmmakers". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ "Cork Film Festival announces 2016 award winners - Cork Film Festival 2016". Cork Film Festival 2016. 22 November 2016. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ "The Best Stories of 2018". 24 June 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
External links
- The Apology at IMDb
- The Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival Big Ideas Series
- The Apology at the National Film Board of Canada
- "The Apology Revisits Issue of WWII Sexual Slavery", NFB Blog