The film of the Japanese woman about her pursuit of justice from the additional authorities after reporting that she was raped is a candidate at the Sunday Award of the Academy. However, despite the fact that the first feature documentary made by the Japanese director ever nominated for an Oscar, the movie cannot be seen in her homeland.
In the movie, “Black Box Diaries”, Journalist Shiori ITO tells the story of what happened to her after She reported that he was raping her at the hotel’s distinguished television journalist And the temptation she says she experienced with the Japanese judicial system.
The film, which was premiered for Best Documentary in January 2024 at the Sundance Film Festival. It has been published in US theaters in October and can currently be seen or will be shown in over 30 countries. However, they do not include Japan.
The Japanese branch of the main streaming service refused to distribute the film in early 2024, the filmmakers said, and theaters have shown a little interest in portraying so far. The prospects for the movie edition became even more blurred in October when former lawyers of Mrs. Ito and other previous fans, including fellow journalists, talked against her, saying that she had used footage without the consent of people in it.
This is not the first time Japan has hosted by showing unobtrusive movies that were well received in Hollywood. “Bay”, a dolphin hunting documentary in the city of Taija, and “Uninterrupted”, a feature film about cruel treatment of Allied prisoners during World War II, both opened at least one year after their US premiere. “The Cove,” made by the American director, won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 2010.
Mrs. Ito says that “black box logs” run into resistance, although it has a Japanese director, because it shines a light on the topic that is usually kept in the shadow: as the legal system and society, they are wider, seem unfavorable to women who have stated to say that they have been sexually attacked.
“This movie is not just about sexual violence. It is about power, corruption and systemic problems,” Mrs. Ito said. “Many people make it uncomfortable, it’s safe.”
Mrs. Ito, 35, has been a polarizing figure since she was released in 2017 to say that journalist Noriyuki Yamaguchi raped her over the dinner during dinner while unaware. Mr. Yamaguchi, who was a biographer of former Prime Minister Shinz Abe, prosecutors rejected the charges, and prosecutors rejected the criminal case after two months.
Mrs. Ito He won a civil lawsuit against him for the damage in the verdict supported by the Supreme Court of Japan.
The case made her a symbol of Japanese still underdeveloped #metoo movement, while critics accused her of insighting her to improve her career.
“There is a tendency in Japanese society to avoid talking about the button problems,” said Atsushi Funahashi, a film director. “I believe this movie should become a catalyst to ensure that no woman no longer has to go through such a painful experience.”
The stress of all attention seems to have received his toll on Mrs. Ito. On February 20, at the last minute, she canceled a Tokyo press conference, citing medical reasons. A limited projection of the decorated version of her film is limited and limited.
A group of lawyers, including those who represented her in a civil lawsuit, held her own press conference on the same day to repeat their concerns with that. They said that “black box logs” use a video and sound of a taxi driver, a police detective and one of the lawyers without the permission of these individuals.
They also made a mistake to Mrs. ITO for the involvement shots drawn from a taxi Mr. Yamaguchi when they arrived at the hotel. The safety camera footage was used without the permission of the hotel, the lawyers said, who demanded that he and other scenes be deleted or changed greatly.
“Now I have to speak against someone I have struggled with for so many years,” said one of the lawyers, Yoko Nishihiro. “How miserable this is.”
In a statement published after the cancellation of her journalists conference, Mrs. Ito apologized for “causing the damage” by not receiving consent and said that the true modified version of the movie “In order to ensure that individuals cannot be identified.”
At the same time, there are scenes that Mrs. Ito and the producers of the film say they do not want to cut them. One of them is the footage of security cameras from the hotel, which Mrs. Ito said was “the only visual evidence of a sex attack.”
Eric Nyari, a movie producer, said they were trying to negotiate a movie version that could deal with criticism regarding privacy, and still exhibit what happened.
“There are certain areas where we encounter worries,” said Mr. Nyari, “but there are certain areas where we believe we are right and that we will not change.”
