今夏、アメリカ人の映像作家 カイル・ホイットニー氏が、映画"Under the Mushroom Clouds（仮題）"の撮影で来広されました。国際教養学科GSEメジャー4年生の中島さんが撮影に立ち会い、通訳をしました。

アメリカ人映像作家、被爆者の声を世界に！

夏休みに、ホイットニー氏の通訳として、10名以上の被爆者にお会いしました。

「生死は紙一重だった。」「一生脳裏から離れない光景を見た。」「被爆証言をした夜は眠れない。」「今も悪夢で夜中に飛び起きてしまう。」

私達が何となく通り過ぎている町のあちこちに被爆者の悲しみの思い出が詰まっている事がわかりました。お会いした皆さんは、今も心と体の痛みに耐えながらも、生かされている事に感謝し、将来の目標に向かって今日も笑顔です。

【Hiroko】

アメリカではホイットニー氏が被爆者の声を拾う事に批判もあり、同行予定だったスタッフも急きょ来日を取りやめました。猛暑の中、機材を一人で抱え「お会いできて嬉しいです。」満面の笑顔が印象的でした。

完成後、広島国際映画祭出品予定です。

国際教養学科GSEメジャー4年　中島美幸

【被服廠にて, Military Supplies Factory】

Translating for hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) was an eye-opening experience. I had the privilege of translating for Mr.Whitney, an American filmmaker working on a documentary, which allowed me to learn about the experience of hibakusha. Their stories of life and death inspired me to think deeply about their experience, and learn about how they are still suffering.

For example, on the morning the A-bomb was dropped, the truck meant to take Iwao to the center of the city for work never came, so he survived. Despite his guilt, he still works to educate people about what happened.

【Iwao, Hiroko(successor), Mr.Whitney and I, at okonomiyaki shop (owner of this shop were atomic bomb orphans)】

Kazuko was severely burned and lay motionless on the ground. She was mistakenly picked up by a truck that collected corpses after the bombing because they thought she was dead. Her life has not been easy, but I was impressed by her generosity and commitment to giving back to the community.

【Kazuko and I】

And Lee's life was saved when he got off the tram one stop before the bomb hit, so he survived. In interviewing Lee I found that he has persisted despite discrimination against him for his past.

【Lee and Mr.Whitney】

All of these stories show a slight difference that divided their fate between life and death. Meeting over ten hibakusha for this project completely changed the way I see hibakusha and Hiroshima city. Regardless of their harsh experience and old age, all of them were cheerful and energetic. They inspired me to see things differently, and understand the true experience of hibaksha and how active they are in society. Each part of the city we pass by is filled with hibakusha's traumatic memories, but I learned that their lives include so much more.

GSE 4th year, Miyuki Nakashima