Trailer Released for Documentary Film 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate'; Crowdfunding Underway Until April 17
The trailer for Katsumi Sakaguchi's documentary film 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate' has been released, with a crowdfunding campaign running on Motion Gallery until April 17. The film explores the theme of crime and punishment through the perspective of Father Javier Garralda, a 94-year-old Spanish Catholic priest who serves as a chaplain to death row inmates in Japan. Born in Madrid in 1931, Father Garralda has been a chaplain at Fuchu Prison since 1994 and at Tokyo Detention House since 2000. He is a former Sophia University professor, author of several books, and received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2018. Creek & River Co. is cooperating, and Super Saurus Inc. is producing the film.
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Creek & River Co. is cooperating on Katsumi Sakaguchi's documentary film 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate,' for which a trailer has been released. This film challenges the themes of crime and punishment and prompts reflection on the death penalty system in Japan, where it remains in force, through the perspective of a 94-year-old Spanish priest who serves as a chaplain to death row inmates. A crowdfunding project to support the film's production is currently underway on 'Motion Gallery' until Friday, April 17.
[Trailer Video URL (YouTube)]
[Crowdfunding URL (MOTION GALLERY)]
https://motion-gallery.net/projects/kyokaishi
[About the film 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate']
Despite an international trend towards abolition, 80% of the Japanese public supports the death penalty according to opinion polls. This film examines the state of capital punishment in Japan, a country where it is retained, through the eyes of a single chaplain. Father Javier Garralda, a cooperating priest at St. Ignatius Church (Kojimachi Catholic Church) in Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, has been regularly meeting Japanese death row inmates as a chaplain at the Tokyo Detention House in Kosuge since 2000.
By filming Father Javier Garralda's chaplaincy activities over a long period, the film conveys the current state of death row inmates who have committed irreparable crimes, and how modern Japan, with its death penalty system, confronts crime and punishment. From Father Garralda's words and expressions immediately after meetings, one can feel the warmth of the intense emotional exchange he shared with the death row inmates, whom he calls 'friends,' during their limited time together. Audiences will learn through the film that the chaplain's presence is the sole, last emotional support and a special existence for death row inmates. What is humanity? What is sin? And what does it mean to atone for sin? After watching the film, you will surely want to talk and share it with someone.
[Father Javier Garralda Profile]
Father Javier Garralda
Cooperating priest at St. Ignatius Church (Tokyo). Catholic priest. Born in Madrid, Spain in 1931. Joined the Jesuits in 1948. Completed graduate studies in philosophy at Complutense University in 1956. Came to Japan as a missionary, ordained at St. Ignatius Church in 1964, served as Assistant Professor and Professor of Theology at Sophia University, Principal of Sophia University School of Social Welfare in 1977, and retired from Sophia University in 2002. Since 1994, he has served as a chaplain for foreign inmates, mainly Spanish and English speakers, at Fuchu Prison in Tokyo, and since 2000, he has continued to meet Japanese death row inmates as a chaplain at Tokyo Detention House. His books include 'Self-love and Egoism' (Kodansha), 'Self-love and Devotion: The Meaning of Love' (Kodansha), and 'Looking at Love: Elevating and Overcoming' (Shueisha). In 2018, he received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette.
Website: https://jesuits.or.jp/j_garralda/biography/
[Comment from Director Katsumi Sakaguchi]
The death penalty system exists in Japan. This film, 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate,' is a documentary that questions crime and punishment and the dignity of life through the figure of a chaplain who continues to meet death row inmates. The death penalty system is deeply rooted in Japanese society. Why do we continue to tolerate its retention? This film will make each person ponder this question and look at the true nature of humanity.
Documentary Film 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate' Production Support Project Overview
■Project Content
This film challenges the themes of crime and punishment and prompts reflection on the death penalty system in Japan, where it remains in force, through the perspective of a 94-year-old Spanish priest who serves as a chaplain to death row inmates. Based on the belief that 'expression should be completely free from everything,' there is no financial assistance from any organizations or groups. The production costs for this work are covered by Super Saurus Inc. (Director Katsumi Sakaguchi and Producer Atsuko Ochiai) using modest funds obtained from screening revenues of previous works and daily jobs. Filming is finally in its final stages, and the completion of the film is in sight. As we now enter full-scale editing, we need funds to complete a higher quality work.
■Director
Katsumi Sakaguchi
Katsumi Sakaguchi
Keywords: None
[Trailer Video URL (YouTube)]
[Crowdfunding URL (MOTION GALLERY)]
https://motion-gallery.net/projects/kyokaishi
[About the film 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate']
Despite an international trend towards abolition, 80% of the Japanese public supports the death penalty according to opinion polls. This film examines the state of capital punishment in Japan, a country where it is retained, through the eyes of a single chaplain. Father Javier Garralda, a cooperating priest at St. Ignatius Church (Kojimachi Catholic Church) in Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, has been regularly meeting Japanese death row inmates as a chaplain at the Tokyo Detention House in Kosuge since 2000.
By filming Father Javier Garralda's chaplaincy activities over a long period, the film conveys the current state of death row inmates who have committed irreparable crimes, and how modern Japan, with its death penalty system, confronts crime and punishment. From Father Garralda's words and expressions immediately after meetings, one can feel the warmth of the intense emotional exchange he shared with the death row inmates, whom he calls 'friends,' during their limited time together. Audiences will learn through the film that the chaplain's presence is the sole, last emotional support and a special existence for death row inmates. What is humanity? What is sin? And what does it mean to atone for sin? After watching the film, you will surely want to talk and share it with someone.
[Father Javier Garralda Profile]
Father Javier Garralda
Cooperating priest at St. Ignatius Church (Tokyo). Catholic priest. Born in Madrid, Spain in 1931. Joined the Jesuits in 1948. Completed graduate studies in philosophy at Complutense University in 1956. Came to Japan as a missionary, ordained at St. Ignatius Church in 1964, served as Assistant Professor and Professor of Theology at Sophia University, Principal of Sophia University School of Social Welfare in 1977, and retired from Sophia University in 2002. Since 1994, he has served as a chaplain for foreign inmates, mainly Spanish and English speakers, at Fuchu Prison in Tokyo, and since 2000, he has continued to meet Japanese death row inmates as a chaplain at Tokyo Detention House. His books include 'Self-love and Egoism' (Kodansha), 'Self-love and Devotion: The Meaning of Love' (Kodansha), and 'Looking at Love: Elevating and Overcoming' (Shueisha). In 2018, he received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette.
Website: https://jesuits.or.jp/j_garralda/biography/
[Comment from Director Katsumi Sakaguchi]
The death penalty system exists in Japan. This film, 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate,' is a documentary that questions crime and punishment and the dignity of life through the figure of a chaplain who continues to meet death row inmates. The death penalty system is deeply rooted in Japanese society. Why do we continue to tolerate its retention? This film will make each person ponder this question and look at the true nature of humanity.
Documentary Film 'The Chaplain and the Death Row Inmate' Production Support Project Overview
■Project Content
This film challenges the themes of crime and punishment and prompts reflection on the death penalty system in Japan, where it remains in force, through the perspective of a 94-year-old Spanish priest who serves as a chaplain to death row inmates. Based on the belief that 'expression should be completely free from everything,' there is no financial assistance from any organizations or groups. The production costs for this work are covered by Super Saurus Inc. (Director Katsumi Sakaguchi and Producer Atsuko Ochiai) using modest funds obtained from screening revenues of previous works and daily jobs. Filming is finally in its final stages, and the completion of the film is in sight. As we now enter full-scale editing, we need funds to complete a higher quality work.
■Director
Katsumi Sakaguchi
Katsumi Sakaguchi
Keywords: None