Doc/Fest - Sheffield

Ogawa Pro’s sixth film set in Sanrizuka, the site of the extraordinary civil war between police and anti-airport protestors has been called, by historian Abe Mark Nornes, “the keystone holding up the graceful arch of Ogawa’s career”. Though the series is about epic civil disobedience, there are no pitched battles here. Characters return from the previous films (so it’s even richer if you’ve seen those first). The film broods with the oppressive violence of the recent past. Takes are long, the pace is “village time”. Right from the opening eleven minute single shot interview between Ogawa and Grandpa Tonojita, it becomes clear that this movie is about memory, landscape and the pauses in conversations, as much as war. Sanrizuka – Heta Village is a masterpiece, amongst the greatest films ever made. We are delighted that Toshio Iizuka, one of the production team, will introduce the screening.