Everyone knows about the tremendous devastation caused by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami tragedy. You saw it on the news and online. But just because the media has moved on to the next hot topic, that doesn’t mean the immense challenge facing Japan is now behind them.
There are still tens of thousands of people living in temporary housing after moving into shelters. 650,000 people are estimated to have lost their livelihoods, and entire villages and neighborhoods have been destroyed. There is still tremendous work to be done!
What's the goal of this documentary film project? I believe we can help heal these wounds by paying tribute to the amazing resilience and quiet spirit of the many victims and volunteers of Tohoku. By letting them know we admire and respect them, we encourage them to continue the good fight – at a time when even the strongest warriors would grow weary.
We also gain insight into how our own inner strength can help us if we ever find ourselves in a life-threatening situation. I believe we can all learn from these incredible heroes.
The film itself focuses on Ishinomaki, Miyagi – the largest coastal city in Tohoku with a population of over 160,000 people. I filmed the tsunami aftermath over a period of 5 weeks. I returned recently and shot during Matsuri season for a week.
The people of Ishinomaki have stories that need to be heard.
