GAIJIN

Japan/Brazil, 1979, 105 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Tizuka Yamasuki.

Gaijin is a Brazilian- Japanese co-production. It is the debut of the director and she does a fine job in exploring a facet of Brazilian history and Japanese history. The film relies on straightforward narrative, emotional involvement of the audience with the characters, an emotional response to the issues. At times, this approach can seem somewhat naive - however it is a direct approach and appeal to audience insight and sympathy.

The film is of great interest in terms of racial questions - the transition from 19th century Japanese to 19th century Latin American culture and the difficulties for the Japanese. The film also highlights the social structures in Latin America: the wealth of the landowners and their employing local inhabitants as well as poor migrants as
the equivalent of slaves for the coffee plantations. With the beginning and end of the film focusing on cosmopolitan Brazil, the film offers an interpretation of the early 20th. century and its contrast with the present.

1. The interest of the themes of the film? Entertainment, Relevant? The exploration of differing cultural and social backgrounds? The view of Brazil's early 20th century history in the light of the later 20th century?

2. The film as a Japanese-Brazilian? collaboration: the portrait of Japanese history, Japanese migration, culture shock and change, the Japanese as victim of the Brazilians, the Japanese contribution to Brazil? The contrast with the background of Brazil, its history, exploitation of slaves, Latin American culture? The importance of the frank-work with the contemporary opening and ending? The voice-over commentary?

3. The glimpse of Japanese history: period, flashback memories? The elegance and good manners of Japan? Culture, music, dance, religion, mythology? The mod and atmosphere of the Japanese music? The use of Japanese language highlighting the language barriers and cultural differences?

4. The background of Brazil, its history, contrast with Japanese culture, the vastness of the land, the coffee crops, the farms, the homesteads? The use of Portuguese?

5. The importance of language and difficulties in communication? Ignorance of language and consequent fear, joy, frustration? The pressures to learn another language?

6. The background of the slaves in Brazil? Their working on the coffee plantations? The owners and the wealthy families? Politics? Society, clothes, holidays? The social injustice? The Italian and Spanish migrants? The decision to bring in Japanese migrants? The deals and the exploitation?

7. The world of the landowners and their comfort? The comfort only partially glimpsed in this film? The focus on the workers? Authority, orders, the detachment of the landowners from their workers? Their responsibility for the injustice? Their use of harsh foremen? Chico and his administration, the rules, cruelty? Punishments? Time-keeping? Humiliations? The contrast with Tonho and his similar background to Chico? His awareness of the migrants, sympathy, helping them? His being caught up in the traditions? The urge to break through? The use of the military for supervision?

8. Tonho as hero? His helping Tito and his attraction towards her? His helplessness in trying to work with the migrants - language, bringing them meat instead of rice, helping them with the washing? The social atmosphere and his attraction towards Tito at the fiesta? His rescuing the Japanese? Setting fire to the crops? His values and their needing to be changed? The glimpse of him in the city and his revolutionary words? His symbolising the need for social change in Brazil?

9. The story of the Japanese: their home in Japan, not enough work, leaving, the voyage? The focus on Tito and Yamada? The arrival in Brazil? The train trip? The brass band and the welcome? The walk through the fields? The derelict houses? Difficulties of language, food? The hard labour and their learning how to get the coffee beans and process them? Illness? Their making something of their homes? Their impoverishment and the unscrupulous money deals by Chico? Their having to adapt to life in Brazil? To the Spanish and Italian migrants? Injuries? Madness? Alcoholism? The wife hanging herself? The impact to revolt and escape? The sad history of the Japanese settlers, the memories and the visions of Japan? Their contribution to Brazil?

10. Tito and her story: the voice-over, 16, the voyage, Yamada and his protection, her work in the house, in the fields, her love for Yamada, the pregnancy, the child, Yamada and his strength, his illness? Her becoming stronger in attitude, helping the group to escape? Her experience in the city, the factory? Her rediscovering Tonho? Yamada and his hopes, hard work, his disappointment with the birth of his daughter, his illness and death?

11. The Italians and their sneering at the Japanese, differences? Their being oppressed by Chico? Complaints, the family being ousted? The portrait of the other workers?

12. The film's attention to the detail of coffee production? The hard labour? The shops? The Japanese establishing themselves and gaining respect? The feast?

13. The glimpse of the city and factory life? Hardships but the outbreak of World War One and the potential for change?

14. The impact of the film as a human document? Hopes and dreams, migrations, culture changes, survival, fidelity and love? The nation built on such experience?