MINAMATA MANDALA
A film by Kazuo Hara
2020, 372 minutes
2020, 372 minutes
No. 397
Documentary
Documentary
Description
Filmed over 15 years, this epic three-part documentary by Kazuo Hara (The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On) chronicles the history of struggle for a community in southern Japan suffering from “Minamata disease”—a debilitating neurological disease caused by methylmercury poisoning from the consumption of fish contaminated by industrial wastewater—as they continue the decades-long battle for legal recognition and reparations from the government.
Both a deeply humanizing portrait of resilience and a comprehensive history of one of the worst pollution-related tragedies in human history, MINAMATA Mandala gives voice to the many survivors, care providers, researchers, and supporters tirelessly fighting for visibility.