Photojournalist Aileen Smith will speak at two events, the first one focusing on a screening of "Minamata” at Liberty Hall on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. The second event is
MINAMATA, Kumamoto Prefecture A deteriorating cloth artwork depicting a Minamata mercury poisoning victim for a traveling one-man stage performance has been restored and preserved for future generations.
Johnny Depp as photographer Eugene Smith in “Minamata” ((C) Larry Horricks)
MINAMATA, Kumamoto Prefecture Municipal authorities here declined to formally back a citizen group’s screening of “Minamata,” a film about the devastating effects of mercury poisoning in the city, mainly out of consideration to the real-life victims.
The film stars Johnny Depp as U.S. photographer Eugene Smith (1918-1978), whose work drew worldwide attention to the debilitating “Minamata disease” caused by consumption of marine products tainted with mercury pollution.
A panel consisting of local volunteers and others organized a preview in the city on Aug. 21 before the movie is released nationwide in September.
A scene from “Minamata” starring Johnny Depp ((c) Larry Horricks)
“Minamata,” a film starring Johnny Depp about U.S. photographer Eugene Smith, whose work drew worldwide attention to the devastating effects of mercury poisoning in Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture, will be shown in Japan in September.
The film is based on a photo book of the same name by Smith (1918-1978) and his former wife, Aileen Mioko Smith, 70.
The story is set in motion when she encourages Smith to take photos in Minamata, saying: “There’s a company in Japan that’s been dumping the toxic waste into the sea. We need you.”