©2022"My Small Land" Production Committee

AOI Pro. is proud to announce that Emma Kawawada's “My Small Land”, co-financed and produced by AOI Pro., was named the Special Mention of Amnesty International Film Award at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, one of the 3 biggest film festivals in the world. "My Small Land" is the first Japanese film to be named for this award.

The German branch of Amnesty International has presented the Amnesty International Film Award at the Berlin International Film Festival since 2005. The jury views films entered into the Competition, Encounters, Panorama, Forum, Generation and Perspektive Deutsches Kino sections. The aim of the prize is to draw the attention of audiences and representatives of the film industry to the theme of human rights and encourage filmmakers to tackle this topic. 

"My Small Land" is directed by Emma Kawawada, who joined the Bun-Buku production company in 2014 and has since been an assistant to director Hirokazu Kore-eda on "The Third Murder" and a behind-the-scenes director for "Under the Open Sky" (co-financed and produced by AOI Pro.) by Miwa Nishikawa.

The film was officially invited to the Generation category at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival held from February 10 to 20, where the film had its world premiere.

"My Small Land"

Synopsis

For Sarya (17), a Kurdish refugee girl in Japan, life seems to be looking up; her grades at school are enough to pursue college, she’s surrounded with good friends and her relationship with Sota is becoming special. Sarya’s life gets turned upside down, however, when she learns that her family’s refugee status is turned down, restricting her family from work and traveling across the city. Her father, who had continued to work to sustain a living, is taken into custody for illegal employment. Sarya is now suddenly forced into a situation where she is responsible not only for her younger siblings but for her very existence.

AOI Pro. Staff

Producer Megumi Banse
Associate Producer Eiichi Ohkoba
Assistant Producer Kazunobu Torigoe
Casting Mayumi Mori
Casting assistant Azumi Matsumoto

Find out more about "My Small Land" at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival website.