The documentary Yasukuni Shrine, eight years in the
making by a Chinese director, was recently invited to the 57th
Berlin International Film Festival in 2007 before it has even been
finished.
This significant documentary on the controversial Japanese war
shrine has both disclosed its production plans and premiered select
clips at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in April, firmly
grasping both domestic and international attention. It was
immediately invited by Tokyo International Film Festival's
officials, who thought this film catalogued "a Yasukuni Shrine that
even Japanese people don't know about."
Now, several Asian international film festivals' curators are
also trying to present this film to their platforms around China,
Japan and South Korea at the same time next August.
With former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visiting
the Tokyo war shrine?since 2001, it has become a worldwide
topic and drawn strong protests from various Asian countries,
including China and South Korea. Thus, the shrine determined to
forbid any organization and individual to shoot films, which would
"hurt those dead military officials and soldiers' honor."
Chinese director Li Ying and producer Zhang Yi began this
independent documentary way back in 1997. Li has spent?eight
years there, while overcoming huge difficulties, to record over 180
hours of footage about the shrine. Many film materials are
exclusive and unique.?
Li told the Youth Times on December 12 that he is
sparing no effort to produce this film now. He spoke frankly,
saying that he hoped to "produce a film to disclose the truth
hiding in the 'beauty and cruelty' of the soul of Yasukuni Shrine."
However, due to the topic's sensitivity, the production has been
difficult since produced only by his Longying Company for
over?eight years.
Li admitted that at this key juncture, he hopes to garner
support from relevant Chinese organizations and enterprises to
co-produce this film. He said, "The war and peace issue reflected
by Yasukuni Shrine is a universal problem faced by the whole world
now. I believe if there is cooperation, and if we put it on the
international platforms like Berlin film festival as a cut-in view
on Asia to jointly promote the history studies in Asia, it will
hugely enhance the knowledge and understandings among Asian
countries. Then we can get over Yasukuni Shrine, the unavoidable
barrier, together to be in a future of real friendliness."
(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, December 14, 2006)
