Why you should watch Shunji Iwai's early masterpiece ``Swallowtail Butterfly'' now

"Swallowtail Butterfly" synopsis

Once upon a time, when the yen was the strongest in the world. Immigrants called this town, which resembled a gold rush someday, "Yen Town." However, the Japanese detested this name, and conversely despised the immigrants, calling them "yen thieves." This is Yen Town, the capital of circles. A city of dreams where dreams come true with yen. ...And this is the story of the Yentowns who came to Yentown to dig a circle.

Index

• A visionary who foresaw the problems surrounding foreign workers
• An Outsider's perspective throughout the filmography
• The wings of a group drama and a coming-of-age story
• A duet of literary and musical films

A visionary who foresaw the problems surrounding foreign workers

In the early hours of December 8, 2018, the revised Immigration Control Act was passed and enacted in a plenary session of the House of Councilors. Leaving aside the ominous coincidence that the attack on Pearl Harbor, which decisively changed Japan's relations with other countries including the United States, took place on the same day 77 years ago, this law amendment will There is no doubt that the relationship will change significantly in the future. The government avoids the word "immigrant" and uses the term "foreign workers" because it wants foreigners to fill the labor shortage due to the declining birthrate, but it does not recognize the aspect that they are people living in Japan. This is probably because there is a genuine feeling that it is not aiming for true symbiosis. This is not only the true opinion of politicians and government officials, but also the true opinion of mainstream conservative voters who support the current administration. It is still fresh in our minds that during the deliberation of the bill, the sad fact that many foreign technical intern trainees had disappeared or died had come to light.

"Swallowtail Butterfly" (C)1996 SWALLOWTAIL PRODUCTION COMMITTEE

In these times, when I look back at director Shunji Iwai's 1996 film ``Swallowtail Butterfly,'' I am once again amazed at its foresight. At the root of his work is a sense of discomfort with Japanese society, which strives for homogeneity and tries to eliminate foreign objects.

An Outsider's perspective throughout the filmography