Surviving Japan

Synopsis

The film spans from March 11, 2001 to September 19, 2011, starting with Noland's own experience in the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster followed by volunteer activities in Ofunato After meeting with volunteers and residents of the affected region that stated huge oversights in the disaster management, Noland continued to volunteer while going on an investigative journey through the Tōhoku region. He set out to Minamisōma, Fukushima near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to speak to the Mayor who had appeared on YouTube with a distress call that the Japanese Government had neglected the town during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. He then returned north to the Miyagi Prefecture to interview officials about the crisis management of the tsunami victims.

While on the same food delivery mission that May, he met a woman in Ishinomakithat had been denied food and shelter stating she felt "thrown away as a Japanese citizen which led him to further investigate and document the events.

Noland went back to Tokyo, where he interviewed Tokyo electric power company in an effort to gain a better understanding of the impact of the disaster. Unsatisfied with the little amount of information, he went on to interview more residents who shared the same frustration.In June Noland returned to the Tōhoku region to volunteer and see how the people, communities, officials and cities were coping with the rebuilding efforts and Radiation. He spent the entire summer visiting the largely hit communities of Miyako, Kamaishi, back to Ōfunato, Rikuzentakata, Kesennuma, Minami Sanriku and Ishinomaki. which led him to further investigate and document the events.

By August Noland saw another distress call from Minamisōma again on YouTube, this time from a city councilman. Noland contacted the councilman through the volunteer network and arranged a meeting after checking on citizens affected by high levels of Radiation in Fukushima city and Kōriyama. It was Noland's conclusion that despite everything, the most important thing was the children's safety in the Radioactive contamination and further awareness of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that he felt the media had ignored.

Making appearances in the film are Helen Caldicott, founder of PSR; professor Cham Dallas a disaster management specialist; Kimiaki Toda, Mayor of Ofunato; Tokyo Electric Power Company, owner and operator of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant; Katsunobu Sakurai, Mayor of Minamisōma and Kouichi Oyama, City Councilman of Minamisōma.

Production

Surviving Japan was conceived, directed, filmed and narrated by Chris Noland. This is first documentary and first film. Executive producer was Simon Hilton; producers were Madoka Miyoshi, Kai "Oswald " Seidler, Martin Peter Murray and Chris Noland; Cinematographer was Chris Noland; editing was done by Chris Noland, MB X. McClain and Andrea Hale; sound editor and mixer Gary Mula; Soundtrack contribution of "Kurushi" by Yoko Ono.

The documentary was made in exactly one year. Noland began the project as a one-man crew until September when he was joined by MB X. McClain to edit over 100 hours of footage down to 180 minutes until Noland moved back to the United States in late November to finish post-production with editor Andrea Hale. Noland credits the moral support of Yoko Ono, Simon Hilton, and Imaginepeace.com for their undying support during his one-man production.

Surviving Japan premiered at Simon Fraser University on March 10, 2012 for the one-year anniversary of the disaster. The film is currently on the film festival circuit.

Some proceeds of the film will be used to create a fund for reconstruction in the Tōhoku region and victims of Radiation in Fukushima Prefecture.

Media response

Surviving Japan was immediately picked up by CBC Radio's The Current CBC Television interviewed Yumie Keller, an evacuee from Minamisōma who appeared in the film.

The film has received a deluge of press from Vancouver, Canada and Noland's birthplace in Washington State.