Rhode Island International Film Festival - Half-life in Fukushima
Despite the danger of radioactivity, a man decides to stay in the land of his ancestors. The last protector of life in a land of death.
Interview with Director Francesca Scalisi
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
The idea behind the film comes from a book by photo-journalist Antonio Pagnotta, who spent 9 months with Naoto Matsumura (the only man living in Fukushima’s red zone), after the 2011 tsunami.
We were touched by the loneliness and the sacrifices that Naoto had to face in order to keep his world alive. We wanted to portray the post-apocalyptic environment within the red zone of Fukushima through this man and his symbiotic relation with the nature around him.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This is a film about a hero, but not the stereotypical fairytale hero completely removed from reality. Naoto is a real-life hero, full of contradictions and idiosyncrasies. He sacrificed a lot to defend the land of his ancestors, living in one of the most contaminated areas of Fukushima, saving animals, standing as the living symbol of this tragedy.
Naoto’s story has the potential to inspire people around the world to fight for what they believe is right. I think that it is people like Naoto who have the power to change our world.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
We portray the personal story of Naoto: his daily life, his loneliness and his efforts to look after the nature around him.
At the same time, "Half-life in Fukushima" tries to look beyond Naoto and to find a universal truth in his story. This documentary deals with the human journey that goes backwards, along the path of nature, to find its original essence.
Naoto, far away from the hustle and noise of political fights, is akin to the taoist sage. His «non-doing» is far from doing nothing. He refrains from any action and quietly walks along the Way (Tao).
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
In the beginning we wanted to tell more about the personal story of Naoto but when we discussed his beliefs and we saw the desolation of this land, we understood that Naoto could not be the sole protagonist of this film. We decided to treat Naoto as part of a greater whole: Nature. Everything (the individual, the landscape, the buildings, the streets, the sea) is part of nature, which in the film shows the power of its perpetual cycle, slowly reclaiming the abandoned land.
I believe that this shift is intrinsic in the process of making a documentary. A filmmaker always starts with an idea but then understands that the reality of the situation differs from the expectations. This dichotomy often creates obstacles. What makes a film special is the ability to overcome these obstacles, finding creative and unexpected solutions.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People often expect a film about the tragedy of Fukushima, focused on investigations in order to reveal new facts on the situation.
However, Half-life in Fukushima confronts them with an atmospheric and solitary experience that slowly immerses them into the red zone, with its rhythm, its landscape, and its sounds. They experience Naoto’s life and end up embracing new questions rather than looking for answers.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Yes. Of the different feedback that we received, the most helpful came from a professional who told us that some images from the film reminded him of T.S Elliot’s The Waste Land. For him, Half-life in Fukushima is a science fiction poem where absurd situations (the appearance of an ostrich, Naoto playing golf in a desolate golf course, the railway now covered in grass, the main road where traffic lights are still working…) symbolize the absurdity of this radioactive catastrophe.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I think that having our film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com would be a great opportunity to reach a wider audience and share with them the story behind this documentary.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We would hope to get feedback from film festival directors and journalists in order to increase the film’s exposure.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
As I already said to another journalist asking a similar question this film is not a condemnation of nuclear power. It isn’t a protest. The documentary whispers: “As human beings, we are bound to our land. We can understand our existence only in relation to the entity we belong to.”
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What do you think will happen to that area of Fukushima when Naoto and his father won’t be there anymore?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m finalizing “Digital karma”, a feature length film that I have shot in Bangladesh over the course of 4 years, following the story of a young woman and her struggle for emancipation.
Moreover, I will soon start shooting my first short fiction, portraying the relationship between a father and a daughter in a very special moment.
Interview: August 2017
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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
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Half-life in Fukushima
Despite the danger of radioactivity, a man decides to stay in the land of his ancestors. The last protector of life in a land of death.
Length: 61’
Director: Mark Olexa and Francesca Scalisi
Producer: Mark Olexa, Francesca Scalisi, Christiane Lelong
About the writer, director and producer:
Francesca Scalisi (1982) is an Italian director and editor. Mark Olexa (1984) is a Swiss director and producer. They are based in Fribourg, Switzerland, where they run the film production company DOK MOBILE.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): film festival directors, journalists
Where can I see it in the next month?
Mediterranean film festival 23-26 August
Dokumentart Film Festival 13-17 October