Laborfest: Films from Japan, Hawaii, Canada

6:00
3 Minute Videos from LaborFest Japan (30 min.) 2010
Every year, LaborFest Japan has a video competition for the best three minute videos. These videos, which are being screened at LaborFest 2011 show the life of working people in Japan.

6:40
Koji Ariyoshi (57min.) 2004
By The Center for Labor Education & Research Hawaii
Koji Ariyoshi was born in a coffee plantation in Hawaii in 1914 and later worked on the docks in Hawaii and San Francisco where he also worked with ILWU Local 10 member Karl Yoneda. He became a newspaper publisher and journalist and was incarcerated during the 2nd world war and later went to Yenan, China. When he returned to Hawaii, he was part of the Hawaii Seven who were prosecuted for being members of the Communist Party.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/May/05/il/il01a.html

7:45
Breathtaking (43 min.) 2010 Canada
By Kathleen Mullen
Filmmaker Kathleen Mullen’s father died from Mesothelioma and she seeks answers about his death. Through films of her father’s struggle for his health and his legal battles, along with the international connections, including India, make this a film not only about one worker’s contamination and death but also about international connections.
http://www.kathleenmullen.com/breathtaking/

8:40
Living By My Principles (61 min.) 2010 Japan
This film shows the lives of three Japanese teachers: Kimiko Nezu (home economics teacher), Miwako Sato (music teacher) and Nobuo Dohi (High School Principal), who are opposing the growing militarization of Japan. The government has demanded that all teachers stand up for the national flag and sing the national anthem, which supports the reactionary emperor system. Right wing nationalist politicians have launched a campaign to fire those teachers who are brave enough to stand up to these demands. Hundreds of teachers have been disciplined for refusing to stand and have been fired and discriminated against. The film shows how these teachers’ lives have changed in the process of fighting for their principles. As Kimiko Nezu has said, she believes “children need to be able to think on their own, and not be blind followers. As an educator, I have a responsibility to teach them to be independent thinkers.” The struggle to defend these teachers’ democratic and human rights continues today in Japan.
http://www.doi-toshikuni.net/e/index.html
See also:
http://www.laborfest.net/2011/2011Films.htm#F29
http://www.laborfest.net/2011/2011schedule.htm
http://clear.uhwo.hawaii.edu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koji_Ariyoshi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Yoneda