MINAMATA Mandala

An epic tale of struggle and commitment. Shot over 15 years, Hara Kazuo’s film documents the arduous legal and medical battles endured by the residents of Minamata, a city in southern Japan whose name has become synonymous with the infamous neurological disease. Sixty years since industrial wastewater from a chemical factory caused an outbreak of severe mercury poisoning, Minamata patients and their families continue to fight for legal recognition and compensation.

Picking up where Tsuchimoto Noriaki left off with his own decades-long film series covering the issue, Hara Kazuo − considered his generation’s documentary master − displays headstrong patience and allegiance to his subjects, something that has become characteristic of his late-career period of prolific filmmaking. The monumental running time is more than warranted, as it gives space for the vibrant personalities of these committed fighters to shine through, showing them to be more than just victims.

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