Risa Morimoto’s evocative documentary boldly confronts the popular notion of the kamikaze as fanatical patriots. The film’s genesis lies in the filmmaker’s discovery that her own uncle was a kamikaze pilot. To understand his experience, Morimoto delves into the complex history of the kamikaze, a history long shrouded by secrecy and shame after Japan’s defeat in World War II.

On the brink of defeat, Japan turned to the idea of the kamikaze as its hope for victory and a symbol of selfless patriotism. As it turns out, hundreds of kamikaze pilots survived their suicide missions. Through interviews, their heartbreaking stories poignantly provide a window into a country’s staggering desperation and the reprehensible detachment of leaders who saw it fit to sacrifice their country’s future to stave off an inevitable present. Not all the young pilots faced their near-certain death with zeal. Caught in the cogs of a massive war machine, their options were few. And yet, even in the chaos and momentum of war, the pilots stumbled upon heart-wrenching moments of grace and humanity.

Mixing animation, archival, and verité footage, Morimoto nimbly interweaves personal experiences against the larger historical narrative of World War II to paint a compelling portrait of the moral burdens these men were forced to bear. Unexpectedly relevant and topical, the film is an insightful and emotional story of the unspoken costs of war.

Risa Morimoto will be in attendance.

See also: WINGS OF DEFEAT: ANOTHER JOURNEY and Documentary Subjects, Female Gaze

Co-sponsored by: