Eight months after its release in cinemas throughout the rest of the world, the Oppenheimer film was finally released in Japan this Friday March 29. This film, which addresses an extremely sensitive subject in this country struck by atomic weapons in the summer of 1945 during the Second World War, had never been broadcast in Japanese theaters.
No official reason had been given for the absence of “Oppenheimer” in Japan, fueling speculation that the film was too sensitive to be shown there. This Friday, in front of a large cinema in Tokyo, only a small poster indicated the presence of this blockbuster with a budget of 100 million dollars.
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“It would have been inconceivable that a film on the development of the atomic bomb would not be released in Japan,” said Tatsuhisa Yue, 65, interviewed by AFP at the end of a screening. “I think the distributors avoided releasing it in the summer because everyone in Japan remembers the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at that time,” added Mr. Yue, praising a film “made in a very sincere way.” “Even as a Japanese, I found him to be much more objective than I expected,” noted another spectator, Fuyuki Ike, 48.
“Lack of images” of victims
In Hiroshima, the feature film was received with concern. “Is this really a movie that people here can bear to watch?” asked Kyoko Heya, president of the city's International Film Festival, after the Oscar triumph of "Oppenheimer" earlier this month.
Ms. Heya deemed it “very America-centric,” admitting to having initially been “terrified” at the idea of showing it in Hiroshima. “I now hope that many people will watch the film, because I would be happy to see Hiroshima, Nagasaki and atomic weapons become topics of discussion thanks to this film,” she nevertheless added.
“There could have been many more descriptions and representations of the horror of atomic weapons,” criticizes Takashi Hiraoka, 96, bomb survivor and former mayor of Hiroshima, at a special screening in the city held earlier this month. “Oppenheimer” was also previewed in Nagasaki, where Masao Tomonaga, 80, another “hibakusha” survivor of the bomb, said he was impressed by the film.
“I had thought the lack of images of atomic bomb survivors was a weakness,” said Mr. Tomonaga, who was two years old at the time of the bombing and later became a researcher studying leukemia. caused by radiation. “But in fact, Oppenheimer's statements in dozens of scenes show the shock he felt at the reality of the atomic bombing. That was enough for me”