【Thirty Two】 The Forgotten Hideous Past

Picture: Companion

Film: Thirty Two
Year: 2013
Country: China
Genre: Documentary
Director: Ke Guo

Ratings: ★★★★★

During World War II, an estimate number of 410,000 Asia women were caught by Japanese army into sexual slavery. Calling the name of "comfort women", it is a translation of Japanese ianfu (慰安婦) and a euphemism of prostitute. Most of them were from China, Korea and Philippines, who some of them were not even reach the age of 13. They were not just forced to provide sexual service to the army, but even maltreated and cruelly beaten. Any medical treatment would not be given if they were sick or what-so-ever and what the army did was just killing them all.

It has been a very long 68 years to Wei Shaolan, the old 92-year-old women who was living half of her life alone with her son. "The hardships and difficulties stop here. We solve our own trouble, rightly so." The film starts with this line, spoken in dialect. By showing her silhouette busying in the kitchen, the words slowly come out from her mouth......here is how the story begins.

"How not to be afraid? Do you have time to be afraid?"

Wei was caught and seized to a Japanese camp at her young married age of 24, together with her 1 year old daughter. Like many others, she was being physically and mentally abused but she managed to escaped from the camp, pregnantly. She lost her daughter and what she had to face was the disgrace and incomprehension from her husband. Life has given her a hard attack but she decided to give birth to this new life in her. After 10 months, the young Luo Shanxue was born.

"My father said I'm not his son, he said I'm Japanese."

Luo never receive any kind of warm as a child since he was born. His father never admit him as his son and everytime he could hear how the other villagers called him - the Japanese. He has carried this name whole of his life and it nearly ruined entire parts of him. As the name been called, he could not get married. The girls would not choose to marry a Japanese during the time because it was a sign of disgrace to the family.

He spent his whole life with buffalos, chickens, ducks, house chores and farm works but barely with his mother. Perhaps it is out of blame or any other reason, the relationship between this pair of mother and son has never work out.

"The world is sparkling, why would I want to die? No, I don't think so."

Since all time being, China has committed to getting back whatever justice that they deserved from Japan government. The young China director, Guo Ke was then decided to record the life-after these women and tried to walk into their deep of heart. Instead of refreshing back what have they experienced, the film is focusing on what are the thoughts in their mind after so many years.

The film was made in 2013, which the name <Thirty Two> represents the total amount of comfort women left in China. This year, the second episode <Twenty Two> has released but according to the latest statistic, there are only 8 of them still alive. Sooner or later, the number will disappear and the history will slowly forget by the world.

Watch the full film at: 

Video: Youtube