GIOVANNI’S ISLAND PROVES THAT A FABLE CAN SERVE TO SUSTAIN HOPE
An animated Japanese film, the historical setting of Giovanni’s Island (Jobanni no shima) is another occupation—Russia’s seizure of Shikotan, a Japanese northern island—which took place after the surrender on August 15, 1945, is announced by the emperor. Kanta and Junpei are been named respectively for Campanella and Giovanni, characters in the children’s story Night on the Galactic Railroad by Kenji Miyazawa, a book about a railroad that passes through the galaxy. With subtitled dates through the film, the effort is to create an historical context in which to appreciate how the two children adapt to the occupation joyfully, befriending Tanya, a Russian girl, and learning to sing Russian songs. For the adults, however, the experience is harsh, involving eviction from their home to a barn, secret distribution of food from a hiding place, arrest and relocation of all Japanese on the island to an internment camp, and separation of the children from their father. Within a year, however, the Japanese are repatriated. The point of Giovanni’s Island is to explain why, at the beginning of the film, several elderly Japanese are on a ship approaching that island. At the end, filmviewers see a reunion of Tanya and Junpei in a welcoming reception. The Russians clearly want to mitigate the bitter memories of stealing an island from Japan, and director Toshihiko Nishikubo accepts that narrative: As the island remains under Russian control, with Japan never ceasing to call for the return of the seized northern islands, the focus is on healing—a plea for peace. For that effort, along with a reenactment of Russia’s illegal occupation, the Political Film Society has not only nominated Giovanni’s Island for best film on peace (for the healing effort) but also best film exposé (bringing those events to light) and best film on human rights (for the violations). MH