A universal question engraved in my heart at a cinema like a "Gama"
Bone Digger
To me, to seep in is like an ink stain that spreads unnoticed, and by the time you notice it, it's impossible to remove and you can't forget it. The film "The Bones Digger," which I saw in 2024, was a work that evoked exactly that feeling.
This documentary follows Takematsu Gushiken, who is involved in the remains collection activities, searching for the bones of those who died in the Battle of Okinawa. One memorable scene is when he actually exhumes the remains. He enters a natural trench called a gama and delicately digs the soil, calling out, "We're almost there."
What at first glance look like pebbles and branches, he realizes are bones. Perhaps the victim committed suicide while still holding the grenade. From the cracks and the state of the surrounding area, he calmly moves his hands, deducing the victim's final moments. Watching the whole thing in the pitch black space of the cinema, I felt as if I was standing in the cave with them. It was an experience that left a strong impression on me.
At the same time, this film is also a process in which the director, who is originally from Okinawa, explores the question of whether it is possible to mourn the deaths of people he has never met. Many remains still lie buried in the soil, and the soil is being used to build a military base, which is causing many harmful effects.
This question, which is directly connected to the current problems in Okinawa, is thrust upon the viewer as well. But at the same time, it also invites them to participate in thinking about it. I feel as though I have been given an important question that I do not want to forget, and that I will never be able to forget.
