Sairi Ito stars in the story based on true events.
The Japan Film Festival Los Angeles (JFFLA) and Okinawa Association of America (OAA) will co-host the U.S. premiere of 風のマジム “Kaze no Majimu” (Purehearted) on Sunday, Sept. 7, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the OAA Center’s Yamauchi Building, 16500 S. Western Ave.
Free RSVP for OAA members or advance ticket purchase ($5 general public) required due to limited space. Go to www.oaamensore.org/tickets or call (310) 532-1929.
The movie is 106 minutes and will have English subtitles. Note: The story is about the production of rum and includes scenes of alcohol consumption, but is suitable for all ages.
“Kaze no Majimu” is a new Japanese movie set in Okinawa Island and Minami-Daitō Island. Based on a true story, this heartfelt and uplifting drama follows Majimu Inami (Sairi Ito), a young office worker in Naha City, and her journey to make a new type of rum using sugarcane grown in Minami-Daitō. However, the endeavor proves to be a challenge: Inami’s prioritizing of authenticity vs. the sponsoring company’s prioritizing of profitability, the differing perspectives of young and elder business owners in Minami-Daitō.
The film and Maha Harada’s novel of the same name are modeled on the achievements of Yuko Kinjo, who started Grace Rum Co., Ltd. in 2004 using Minami-Daitō sugarcane. Kinjo commented on Ito’s performance: “It was like I was looking at my old self, and my heart was filled with memories. I could tell that she was acting with all her heart.” (Ryūkyū Shimpō, December 2024)
While novelist Harada, director Kaoru Haga, and most of the main actors do not have Okinawan roots, “Kaze no Majimu” is nuanced and avoids tropes and stereotypes that are sometimes used in Japanese productions set in Okinawa. It is also filled with Uchinaaguchi (one of the native Ryūkyūan languages) and Uchinaa-Yamatuguchi (Japanese language mixed with Okinawan).
The screening will also include the world premiere of “Okinawa Is Everywhere,” an 8-minute documentary by David Ralston. It follows Okinawa Americana, a traditional-fusion music band founded by Ralston and Merry Gushi, which has performed for Okinawan communities all around the world, including the OAA’s Shuri Castle reconstruction fundraiser back in 2019.
This year marks the JFFLA’s 20th anniversary. More info and full festival schedule: www.jffla.org
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