Filmed over 15 years, this epic three-part documentary by Kazuo Hara (The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On) chronicles the history of struggle for a community in southern Japan suffering from “Minamata disease”—a debilitating neurological disease caused by methylmercury poisoning from the consumption of fish contaminated by industrial wastewater—as they continue the decades-long battle for legal recognition and reparations from the government. Both a deeply humanizing portrait of resilience and a comprehensive history of one of the worst pollution-related tragedies in human history, Minamata Mandala gives voice to the many survivors, care providers, researchers, and supporters tirelessly fighting for visibility.
Kazuo Hara
Sachiko Kobayashi
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