Hara Kazuo spent the entirety of his career with those in rebellion against Japan’s official culture. But aren’t they just ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances? And isn’t a person’s social position in the eye of the beholder, as demonstrated in Hara’s underappreciated sole fiction feature, the acerbically abstract The Many Faces of Chika (2005)?
With Reiwa Uprising, he has again tried something new: to create an instant record of a political moment by following trans woman and professor of economics Yasutomi Ayumi on the campaign trail for a seat in the House of Councillors as a member of the newly-founded left-wing people’s party, Reiwa Shinsengumi. Shooting started on June 18th 2019; four months later Reiwa Uprising saw its world premiere! Indeed, an entertaining film, just as Hara promises during the first ten minutes or so.