Public Blue

2007, Japanese and English, English and Japanese subtitles, 70 minutes, PAL, miniDV, Color, 4:3

A film by Anke Haarmann

Everywhere in the parks and on the river bank of the Osaka river one sees blue tents or barracks covered with blue plastic tarps – at times scattered throughout the park area, sometimes lined up in rows, or united to form small communities. The term homelessness only insufficiently describes the situation of these No juku sha – the campers in the rough. The No juku sha are the inhabitants of the public. But just as little as the Japanese society has traditionally known nor appreciated public space as a public forum likewise are homeless people, who live in those spaces, disrespected.
The video essay Public Blue was produced in collaboration with No juku sha and activist in Osaka. It follows their political action and sketches the Japanese understanding of the public and the political.
Without any budget and only the simple camera at the place the reason to start the documentary was the threat of evictions of homeless tents from parks.
Now the film is used in Osaka as a tool against new evictions by No juku sha, and became a vehicle of articulation for those who live outside of the Japanese society.

http://www.aha-projekte.de/publicblue

Last updated: 23.02.2009, 09:04