My Town, My Youth

Dir. Noriaki Tsuchimoto. 1978, 43 mins. 16mm. In Japanese with English subtitles. Twenty-two years after the official discovery of Minamata disease, a group of young Minamatans, many of whom were diagnosed in the womb, decide to organize a concert for their fellow bedridden Minamata patients featuring the popular enka singer Sayuri Ishikawa. The concert is seen as an opportunity to bring national attention to the patients’ continued struggle, and its planning and preparations ignite many patients-turned-volunteers with a sense of purpose for the first time in their young lives. My Town, My Youth is a soul-stirring reflection on art’s relation to what Susan Sontag called “the kingdom of the sick.”

With the purchase of a ticket for this film, receive $5 off another same-day screening.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.