Visualising Shattered Lives: Potentiality in Representations of Rape Victimisation in Contemporary Japan
This article examines how cinematic representations of rape can challenge the silence which surrounds the issue of rape and sexual violence in Japan. A textual analysis of two contemporary fictional Japanese films, DV: Domestic Violence [2005] and The Ravine of Goodbye [2013], was performed to illus...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Japan Foundation, Sydney
2016-07-01
|
| Series: | New Voices in Japanese Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://newvoices.org.au/volume-8/visualising-shattered-lives-potentiality-in-representations-of-rape-victimisation-in-contemporary-japanese-cinema/ |
| _version_ | 1818285532375941120 |
|---|---|
| author | Hei-Lei Cheng |
| author_facet | Hei-Lei Cheng |
| author_sort | Hei-Lei Cheng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article examines how cinematic representations of rape can challenge the silence which surrounds the issue of rape and sexual violence in Japan. A textual analysis of two contemporary fictional Japanese films, DV: Domestic Violence [2005] and The Ravine of Goodbye [2013], was performed to illustrate how filmmakers can use narrative and cinematographic techniques to influence the viewer to reflect upon their attitudes to rape and rape victims. By examining how these two films depict rape and rape recovery, this article argues that there is discursive potential inherent within cinema to shape our imaginations and ideals about the world. But while the filmmaker can construct rape representations that encourage reflection, how the viewer decides to engage with the film has bearing on whether this potential for reflection is realised. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:10:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-485db8f00c9d4d67884df31f9525cccc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2205-3166 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:10:12Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | The Japan Foundation, Sydney |
| record_format | Article |
| series | New Voices in Japanese Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-485db8f00c9d4d67884df31f9525cccc2022-12-22T00:04:29ZengThe Japan Foundation, SydneyNew Voices in Japanese Studies2205-31662016-07-018779710.21159/nvjs.08.04Visualising Shattered Lives: Potentiality in Representations of Rape Victimisation in Contemporary JapanHei-Lei Cheng0Australian National UniversityThis article examines how cinematic representations of rape can challenge the silence which surrounds the issue of rape and sexual violence in Japan. A textual analysis of two contemporary fictional Japanese films, DV: Domestic Violence [2005] and The Ravine of Goodbye [2013], was performed to illustrate how filmmakers can use narrative and cinematographic techniques to influence the viewer to reflect upon their attitudes to rape and rape victims. By examining how these two films depict rape and rape recovery, this article argues that there is discursive potential inherent within cinema to shape our imaginations and ideals about the world. But while the filmmaker can construct rape representations that encourage reflection, how the viewer decides to engage with the film has bearing on whether this potential for reflection is realised.http://newvoices.org.au/volume-8/visualising-shattered-lives-potentiality-in-representations-of-rape-victimisation-in-contemporary-japanese-cinema/JapancinemaJapanese cinemafilmgenderraperepresentationdomestic violencewomensexual violencespectatorship |
| spellingShingle | Hei-Lei Cheng Visualising Shattered Lives: Potentiality in Representations of Rape Victimisation in Contemporary Japan New Voices in Japanese Studies Japan cinema Japanese cinema film gender rape representation domestic violence women sexual violence spectatorship |
| title | Visualising Shattered Lives: Potentiality in Representations of Rape Victimisation in Contemporary Japan |
| title_full | Visualising Shattered Lives: Potentiality in Representations of Rape Victimisation in Contemporary Japan |
| title_fullStr | Visualising Shattered Lives: Potentiality in Representations of Rape Victimisation in Contemporary Japan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Visualising Shattered Lives: Potentiality in Representations of Rape Victimisation in Contemporary Japan |
| title_short | Visualising Shattered Lives: Potentiality in Representations of Rape Victimisation in Contemporary Japan |
| title_sort | visualising shattered lives potentiality in representations of rape victimisation in contemporary japan |
| topic | Japan cinema Japanese cinema film gender rape representation domestic violence women sexual violence spectatorship |
| url | http://newvoices.org.au/volume-8/visualising-shattered-lives-potentiality-in-representations-of-rape-victimisation-in-contemporary-japanese-cinema/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT heileicheng visualisingshatteredlivespotentialityinrepresentationsofrapevictimisationincontemporaryjapan |