Hara Kazuo's film "Extreme Private Eros (1974)" was more than an autobiography of both the filmmaker and his protagonist (ex-wife Takeda Miyuki). It was but rather a deep glance to a radical moment in Japanese history were young people in the early seventies explored other possibilities of social life. Questioning the conservative methods of relationship, parenting and especially to giving birth.The film was shot in 16mm black and white using the Cinema Verite form in documentary filmmaking. Hara simply just followed his new born son and ex-wife Miyuki, who intitiated to propose the project, in documenting her life as a migrant and a single mother in Okinawa. The introduction of the story started with an argument between Miyuki and her female lover Sugako. Then it went to the anthropological observation of japanese sex workers in Okinawa's red light district were American soldiers, mostly black-americans, are the frequent customers.
Soon Miyuki got impregnated by her black American lover who would later abandon her after three weeks. Hara was neutral about it. However, the conflict escalated after the tough pursuit of alternative possibilities was put to a test. Jealousy and various irrationalities came to haunt the filmmaker and his ex-wife.
Miyuki decided to go back in Tokyo and gave birth to an interracial baby at the cramp apartment of the filmmaker in Setagaya. After proving to herself that she can deliver a baby without any professional help from experts, she organised a Commune of women and single mothers who would later provide volunteer child care and midwife help.
The year was 1974 and together Miyuki and Hara remained good friends since then.
No comments:
Post a Comment