We held a screening of the film "Burmese People Living in a Foreign Land in Japan."

A screening of "Living in a Foreign Land: Burmese People in Japan" was held on Sunday, January 26, 2014, in Conference Room 601 of the Itabashi Ward Green Hall. Thank you to everyone who came despite the cold weather.

"Living in a Foreign Land: A Burmese Man in Japan" has received the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Award for Excellence in Cultural Documentary Films, as well as high praise from Kinema Junpo. The film is a documentary that follows a young Burmese man who was leading the democratization movement, but was forced to live as a refugee in Japan after being persecuted by the military regime, and yet still harbors feelings for his homeland. The protagonist, Cho Cho Soe, is still unable to return to his homeland. When he first came to Japan as a refugee, it was the presence of his family that allowed him to endure his lonely life in a foreign country. The scene of his reunion with his wife, Nue Nue Choe, after being separated for a long time, is the highlight of the film. Seeing the two of them supporting each other and surviving in harsh circumstances made me realize once again the importance of family bonds.

During this screening, we made sure to include time for interviews with the two main characters, who shared their thoughts on their homeland, Burma, and their families. They cited the Great East Japan Earthquake as the most shocking experience they had in Japan. Unable to stand idly by while the devastation was unbearable, they gathered friends and went to Rikuzentakata City in Iwate Prefecture to provide meals. They spoke to the effect that "it's not okay to only care about oneself," and these words carried significant weight coming from Cho Cho Soe, who had experience as a Buddhist monk in Burma. As for their future aspirations, they expressed their desire to dedicate themselves to the education of children who will bear the future of Burma. Escaping oppression in their homeland and living abroad for so long in Japan must have been incredibly difficult, but throughout the interview, their gentle smiles, which showed no trace of that hardship, were very impressive.

After the screening, a get-together was held at an Italian restaurant owned by an APFS board member located near the venue, where the two main characters were gathered. In addition to the organizing staff, there were students who were interested in the film, people who had become interested in Burma through travel, and members of the local volunteer center. Although everyone was meeting for the first time, they quickly became acquainted and enjoyed a pleasant time of conversation.

This screening was made possible with the support of the Itabashi Cultural and International Exchange Foundation, the Tokyo Volunteer Citizen Activity Center, and the Itabashi General Volunteer Center, and was organized by APFS and Takashimadaira ACT. Many foreigners live in Japan in addition to refugees. However, there are not many opportunities to think about their existence. We hope that this screening will help to promote understanding of foreigners, even just a little.