Giving voice to adolescents separated from their families
Sneak Preview Screening: "A Big Home" (Oki na Ie) followed by
a Q&A with director Ryo Takebayashi and producer Takumi Saitoh
Tuesday, November 12 at 6:00 pm*
*Please note early start time.
In Japanese with English subtitles Japan 2024 123 minutes
Please note the restriction on inviting non-member guests has been lifted. Members may invite more than one guest.
Directed by: Ryo Takebayashi
Produced by: Takumi Saitoh
Film courtesy of Chocolate Inc.
In Japan, as we learn in the opening minutes of Ryo Takebayashi's revealing new documentary, approximately 42,000 children are living in dedicated facilities for reasons of parental death, illness, abuse or poverty. When the adolescents in the facility at the heart of "A Big Home" are asked whether they see it as their home or merely the place they live, and whether those they live with are like family members, friends or something else, what they have to say is by turns upsetting and uplifting.
Providing viewers with an intimate look into the lives of those who are rarely seen and whose voices are seldom heard, "A Big Home" challenges us to rethink our own definitions of "home," "family" and what society considers to be "normal."
Beautifully woven together without narration and with a soundtrack that supports their voices without overpowering them, the stories of the children bring revelation after revelation, as they speak about their relationships with the parents from whom they must live separately, about each other and the facility staff. We see them in school, at meals, at play, and on a visit to a children's home in Nepal, where connections are made despite language barriers.
While a straightforward documentary might encompass in-depth interviews with the staff of the facility or the teachers at the school the children attend, Takebayashi and his producer, Takumi Saitoh, who initiated the project, never stray from keeping their focus on the voices of the young people. It is a bold choice with a beautiful payoff.
As the children share more of the pain they have grown up with and the worries they have for their future - they are encouraged to leave the home and live independently at the age of 18 - maintaining their privacy remains a major concern of the filmmakers, who include a direct appeal to media and the audience at the end of the film.
Please join us for this sneak preview of "A Big Home" before the Japan release on December 6, 2024.
For more (in Japanese): https://bighome-cinema.com
Director RYO TAKEBAYASHI began his career as a TV commercial director. He has directed numerous documentaries, including "Bookmark 14," which was released in 2021 initially to one movie theater, but was later screened in 45 cities after going viral on social media. His narrative feature debut, "Mondays: See You 'This' Week!" (2022), which he directed and co-wrote, won Best New Director and Best Editing at the 32nd Japan Movie Critics Award.
Producer TAKUMI SAITOH is better known as a movie star, with dozens of credits in front of the camera. His own directorial debut, "Blank 13" (2018), won eight awards at film festivals in Japan and abroad, and was followed by the well-received horror film "Home Sweet Home" (2023). Saitoh continues to be active in numerous other projects, such as the "cinéma bird" project, a mobile movie theater for children in disaster areas and developing countries who have little access to cinema. His recent filmography includes "Shin Ultraman" (2022), "Downfall" (2023), "Bushido" (2024) and "The Queen of Villains" (2024).
Please note the restriction on inviting non-member guests has been lifted. Members may invite more than one guest.
Please make your reservations at the FCCJ Reception Desk 03 3211-3161 or register from https://www.fccj.or.jp/.
All film screenings are private, noncommercial events primarily for FCCJ members and their guests.
- Thomas Ash, Film Committee