Katabui, in the Heart of Okinawa (virtual film screening)
- This event has passed.
June 21 @ 6:00 pm - June 23 @ 11:59 pm EDT
Details » Click here to register »
Katabui, in the Heart of Okinawa
カタブイ 沖縄に生きる
Katabui, au cœur d’Okinawa
Friday, June 21, 5:59PM (ET) – Sunday, June 23, 11:59PM (ET)
Virtual Film Screening | Free Admission | Canada-wide
Directed by Daniel López • 2016 • Documentary • 80 minutes • Presented in Japanese & French with English subtitles • Trailer
“Katabui” means “squall” in the Okinawan dialect.
Daniel López knew very little about Okinawa. Seduced by these southern Japanese islands, once an independent kingdom, he left Switzerland to settle there. Ten years later, he shares his fondness for Okinawa but also reflects on the archipelago’s identity, threatened by the U.S. military presence and excessive urban development.
During their struggle against the U.S. military bases, the Okinawan people have found the ability to peacefully resist. They have been able to maintain an indomitable identity, which fascinates even the mainland Japanese. To understand this peaceful resistance, Daniel López takes us on a journey into the heart of Okinawa to discover a local belief with inspirational scope.
This screening is a part of our ongoing Keep Dancin’, Okinawa! film series, celebrating Okinawan stories, culture, and history.
Free to Stream. Register below.
*After registration, a streaming link will be sent to you on June 21. You will be able to watch the film anytime between June 21, 5:59 (ET) to June 23, 11:59 (ET) regardless of which date option you select in the registration form below.
Director Profile:
Daniel López was born in Switzerland in 1970 and moved to Okinawa in 2003. In 2010, he graduated from the University of Arts in Okinawa. He then worked as a photographer, publisher and TV presenter. In 2015, he made his first feature-length documentary Katabui, in the Heart of Okinawa. His film Umui – Guardians of Traditions (2022) was awarded the Grand Prix for Best Anthropological-Ethnographic Film at the 2022 Tokyo Documentary Film Festival.