Movie Review : Film Highlights LGBT Issues
By Chisaki Sato
NAP Contributor
On November 18th at the University of Washington (UW) campus in Seattle, Washington, the film screening of Karankoe no Hana was hosted by the UW Japan Studies Program. About 10 people gathered to watch the film and share their thoughts afterward.
This short film, directed by Nakagawa Shun in 2017, explores the challenges faced by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual,transgender) individuals. It is from the perspective of those around them, rather than from the viewpoint of the individuals themselves.
The story begins with a teacher briefly remarking before class that LGBT (Q+ [queer/questioning, and others]) people are real and normal. This prompts students to speculate about whether there might be an LGBT person in their classroom and question why the teacher mentioned LGBT issues. The film focuses on the students’ reactions, conversations and assumptions.
Karankoe (Flaming Katy), the name of a flower in Japanese, symbolizes the loneliness and complex emotions which are difficult to express in words. The film carries a bittersweet tone. It highlights the sensitivity of LGBT issues, showing that they are present in our lives, but often remain silent. This is especially true in Japan, where LGBT issues are becoming more visible but still lack widespread acceptance.
More people should watch this film to better understand the diverse perspectives on these challenges.
The film won the Grand Prix in a 2017 competition at the 26th Rainbow Reel Tokyo (Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival) in Japan.
