June 2019,In the hope of the abolition of the dog meat industry in the Asian region,Start the FREE delivery of this movie!

More than 30 million dogs are sacrificed for illegal dog meat industry in East Asia every year.
Thoughtful people stands up against it !

【Trailer】

Director NAOTOSHI KITADA / Producer EIKO OBI / Music HIROMICHI SAKAMOTO / Interpreter WÚ MǏN・KWON LEE
Camera operator NAOTOSHI KITADA・EIKO OBI・TAKAHIRO INOUE・KWON LEETrial watch
Cast YANG XIAO YUN / NAMI KIM / SHIGEO KOUNO / WANG YAN / AJ GARCIA / ZHOU YU SONG
YOON GREEN / 张婷婷 / 김혜란 / JEFF BERI / 李诗 / BK / DAVID ACITO

Chinese translation QIAO HAI / Korean Translation CHANG JAE-MIN・장재민・KIM YUN-TAE
English translation YASUE WATANABE / Web SHINO INADA

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2018・123min・COLOR / Produced by ADG-ETHICS LLC.

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Challenge to light in dark Zone !

A documentary film concerning the dog and cat meat eating practice in the East Asia (China, South Korea, Japan …) what is gaining global attention in late years.

The number of dog and cats killed for food is supposed more than 30 million of them a year throughout the world. In late years, by the development of Internet and SNS, the actual situation is finally coming to light.

For example, there are business to sell off the stolen pet dog or cat to the meat supplier in many districts of China (Chinese government does not allow to farm or slaughter dogs). There is a superstition that meat becomes delicious when they give a dog fear and pains at slaughtering, so the dogs are killed after unnecessary torture.

The dogs are slaughtered in unimaginable ways: skin alive, boil alive, cut off all 4 feet.

“Yulin lychee and dog meat festival” in Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region of China to beat the summer heat is held every year at the time on the summer solstice, and it is said more than 10,000 dog and cats are slaughtered for human consumption during a few days.

We felt that is our duty to film actual situation of dogs and cats for human consumption in Asian countries and let people know it.
In the summer of 2017, Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region of China, we filmed with hidden camera under the regulation of local police.

We filmed at Guangdong, Henan, Jilin, Tianjin in China.
A truck which carried dogs and cats to the slaughter house were stopped by Chinese youth and Buddhists. They saved the life of hundreds of dog and cat and protected them to a shelter.

We witnessed a large number of young volunteers gathered through [we chat], the most popular SNS application in China and did all kind of medical care for those poor animals at the shelter (base).

Total of the travelling distance in China was 9,320 mi. Our crew in this under-ground project had a hard time to worry about expenses during this long journey.

We went to South Korea after China. They have a practice called Boknal to beat the summer heat during July and August every year. And more than 1 million dogs are slaughtered by very cruel method in one month.

It is apt to be thought as difference in national manners and customs or national traits, and it is often cleared up with a word “cultural difference”. Therefore I want to show the fact that there was the dog eating practice in Japan until approximately 30 years ago.

In other words the manners and practices of the dog eating is explaining the fact of the economic development, education and the morality ethic of the country. It is not the problem between national traits and races simply.

President Moon Jae-in (newly in May, 2017) declare openly that he will abolish the dog meat industry progressively.　In February, 2017, the severe criticism from the inside and outside of South Korea against the dog eating practice lead to closedown the most of dog meat shop in Moran market where is the biggest dog meat market in South Korea.

We light to such a various reality and provide it to the world.

The world starves for the dog meat information of Asian countries.

We humans are receiving a great benefit from both of Pet and Livestock animal.
We use animals like a slave and throw away or eat them when they becomes useless from the ancient times.
The animals do not have language like us. However, it is not suitable in this society to treat them bad when those animals are not speaking the word “Sad” or “Hurt” in our language.

INTERVIEW／Director [Naotoshi Kitada]

How do you draw cruelty without drawing the cruel scene?

I like to explain how I knew about dog eating practice in East Asian countries first.

In 2011, the phreatic explosion happened at the Fukushima first Nuclear Power Plant and there were many animals left behind within the range of a radius of 12 mi from the plant. I knew it in Tokyo where I used to live with my rescued dog. And I started coverage on my own because I was so worried about animals left behind in the area.

I was shocked when I found no one was filming in the evacuated area (the area was called “Zone” abroad)

I did back and forth 124 mi from Tokyo to Fukushima so many times and it was my own mission to continue filming the Zone.

It was probably illegal to enter the area but I continued to filming to meet the demand of local people. They wanted me to film the actual condition of the area. I made every effort to record the conditions of animals left behind in the Zone. I started Facebook to obtain various information by that time.

The animals left in the evacuated Zone in Fukushima were so miserable also.
I devoted myself to film the reality of evacuation area in Fukushima and tried to preserve myself from the fear to get arrested for entering the zone. Ii was very hard for both of mental and financial.

I was planning to film the scenery of the Zone rusting and falling as time goes on and I expected it would take 5years for completion. But I completed the film【Divided Zone – Outcry of abandoned lives in Fukushima】before the spring of 2013, much earlier than my plan to meet the demand.

Around the same time, I knew there are so many animals left behind in Iidate village where is a famous village as chosen in 100 selections of beautiful villages of Japan.

Iidate village was not ordered to evacuate but it was restricted residence area. People were allowed to freely go in and out of the village so I didn’t have to warry to get arrested. However, the conditions of those animals left behind was unimaginable miserable situation.

I went to Fukushima almost every week from Tokyo. There were nothing but sadness to cuddle up to miserable animals. I was suffered from a symptom such as the depersonalization, and depression.

Because of a difference between Fukushima and Tokyo was too big, I was able to follow neither reality.
I completed the enormous material which I continued filming in two years as documentary movie “Hidden Contamination” in the summer of 2015.

I released those two documentary movie for the theater, and you could rend those films on DVD at more than 2,800 shops of all over Japan.
It may be said that I accomplished a splendid achievement as an independence documentary movie.

In addition, the screening of those movies are held in various part of Japan and continues showing the truth of animals left behind.

I saw the miserable image of “the dog was skinned alive and boiled alive”, an article someone shared on Facebook in summer of 2012. I remember that I was so confused if the picture was true or not.

I have seen many articles to show cruelty of the dog eating practice in East Asian countries on Facebook while I was filming at Iidate village in 2013. And they also had video of slaughtering dogs in cruel method. I could hardly bear to look at the dreadful scene. I had been awfully depressed.
Why do they do such an unnecessary cruel slaughter? There was a reason for it.

In those countries some people believe that meat becomes delicious if they give a dog more fear and pain when they slaughter and which is superstition remaining from old days without scientific grounds.

In the process to breed the dogs for human consumption, it was extreme in the bad environment. For example, it was covered with feces and urine, given the garbage as food. It is non-humanitarian breeding environment. There were people to sell stolen pet dog to the butcher for money, and various unforgivable things were happening in the hotbeds of criminal.

The fact that people did not know so far having come to light through SNS, the sense of duty gradually sprang out in me to produce a documentary movie about the dog eating practice and the dog meat industry. I was convinced that all of step as movie maker become hypocritical if I ignore dog meat industry what is described as “Hell on Earth”. There’s no next step without going over this wall.

As I mentioned above, the documentary movie “Hidden Contamination” which recorded animals left behind in Iidate village was completed in the summer of 2015. And by the time of completion, I started preparations to film the actual situation of dog eating practice. With cooperation of Chinese who live in Japan, I continued to negotiate with the people in China steadily.

However, in November of the same year, I knew the documentary movie describing a dog eating practice is already existed. It is “Eating Happiness” (unscreened in Japan) directed by Genlin who was born in Shanghai.

This movie was chosen as 124 entries of American Academy Award, Documentary Feature in 2016.
And it is highly evaluated. I thought it is high leveled wonderful movie which can’t be compared with the personal low-budget documentary move of mine. And my production will almost faded away, then.

Not jealousy feeling for it was highly evaluated at abroad, but I was so glad to know that there is a movie describing dog meat practice and its’ industry. And I was also scared to see the cruelty of dog meat industry with my naked eyes.
I announced cancellation of filming. I thought that I was saved and relieved.

I was also exhausted financially to finish two Fukushima documentary movie mentioned above.
To be frank, long-term location in overseas concerning the dog eating practice was difficult for me at that time.

I assumed that there are many people around the world who accuse or appeal the industrial illegality of dog meat trade so maybe I didn’t have to do the reckless filmmaking only with the help of sense of duty.
However, I was afraid that my nervous would breakdown to see cruel slaughter scene with my naked eyes. I was freed from such thought.

However, in Japan there was no sign to screen the movie “Eating Happiness” which gave me an opportunity to cancel filming over a year ago.
I was thinking about to negotiate with the producer of the movie and screen it in Japan.

But I had a question, does Japanese really going to watch the whole movie when the image of the cruel scene leads? So I have dozens of friends watch a preview of “Eating Happiness”.
And as a result, nobody raised their hand to watch whole movie.

I also want to look away from slaughter scene of cows or pigs. I do not want to see the cruel picture killing cats and dogs which are an overseas illegal act. (There are no cat and dog slaughter house and breeding firm which the Chinese government recognized officially)

I would cover my eyes and ears from the truth, and thinking about only the place where I am is really significant. Various thought like this ran in my head.

The masterpiece which was produced under the splendid idea to change society such as
“Eating Happiness” is not shown in Japan for reasons of having drawn the truth. I think it is very Mottainai. I am so sad about it.

Then I had an idea to make a drama and picture the actual situation of dog meat industry in the story.
I really wrote approximately three plot of drama.

In March, 2017, I come with an idea after all kind of trial and effort.
“Maybe I should not draw darkness of dog eating practice but draw lite.”

I changed a direction little, then I knew there are people who are trying to stop the illegal dog meat industry by various ways. This was an opportunity and it made up my mind to make a film.
It is a lucky day if I think, I get in touch with person who could speak Chinese, Korean immediately. And asked them to make an arrangement in each country.

I focused on two festival, “Yulin lychee and dog meat festival” which is held every year on the summer solstice of June in Zhuangzu autonomous district, China and “Boknal-dog meat soup festival which is performed for a month from July to August in South Korea.

I prepared everything in a great hurry in less than 3 months, search for people concerned and shooting negotiation, the interpreter arrangement of both countries, schedule adjustment of shooting, accommodations and airline ticket, spy camera, spare batteries, simple lightning devise and a spare camera for just in case.

The shooting policy to make this movie is highlights existence of the darkness by drawing light and let the world know the darkness.

I tried to look the industry from different angle, and draw dog eating practice and illegal industry without drawing the cruelty.

Specifically, I focus the people who are trying to stop dog eating practice and its’ industry and
I present this movie to let the audience think about outlook on ethic in the society where people live together with animals. You can see all kind of cruel picture through internet, so It is not necessary to emphasize the cruel scene in my movie.

In order to avoid any cruel scenes such as slaughter or the abuse of dogs, I decided to cover:

◆Volunteers – rescue several thousand dogs from dog meat industry and protecting them
◆Local youths – rescue dogs by intercepting dog truck heading to slaughter house
◆Present condition of shelter for rescued dogs and cats & medical care teams
◆Various People – demonstrations and campaigns in various way
◆Hearing coverage – citizens, local officials
And report of the dog meat festival……

While I was preparing for coverage of China and South Korea, I knew the actual situation that illegal dog and cat meat was imported into Japan in large quantities.

In addition, from a certain source, I knew the fact that dog had been killed for human consumption after the war in Japan. I included it in the movie. Because it is wrong to think all of Chinese or Korean people brutally eat dogs. The fact of Japan is the necessary scene for us not to make bad feelings between races.

There are only a few documents and record specified about dog and cat eating practice in the history of Japan, I investigated on my feet at country side of Japan.

It was brief and process of the production of the documentary film concerning the Asian dogs in East Asian countries, China, South Korea and Japan.

Thank you for reading.

▼[Kiseki] As the origin of his name, he achieved miraculous revival after he was left evacuation zone in Fukushima and hovered between life and death

▼“Divided Zone – Outcry of abandoned lives in Fukushima” 2013,documentary movie, animals left behind within the range of a radius of 12 mi from Fukushima nuclear power plant

【Divided Zone-Trailer】

▼“Hidden Contamination”2015, documentary movie, animals left behind at Iidate village, restricted residence area for few years after the Fukushima daiichi nuclear accident.

【Hidden Contamination-Trailer】

In late years, by the spread of Internet and the appearance of iPhone and the smartphone, anyone of the world came to know various true information through SNS. However, most of the major media did not get into the subject of dog meat in Japan seems to be a taboo as same as nuclear plant accident or Okinawa problem. I think Japanese media do not want to mention the issue of animals of other countries because Japan has a problem of the dolphin hunting of Wakayama prefecturein own country.

I made this movie with independence system and having a debt. But I must make this issue a major topic in Japan.

I appreciate your support to our activity to make an objection against dog and cat eating practice of Asian countries by purchasing our Movie.

Copyright protection of the movie

Adg-ethics LLC. is a film production company of complete independence and we don’t have a sponsor to support us.
The profit we make by screening of movie and selling of associated goods will be used for promotion activity of “Asian Dog Meat Report” and production costs in the future.
This DVD is a premium version for your personal use. The act to infringe a copyright of the picture obstruct our activity. Please do not screen or resale of DVD without the permission of producer or author.

Please Help Dogs＆Cats with this Movie by Donation

Dog and Cat more than 30 million a year continue being killed in darkness in Asian countries. It is horrors. People stood up to change the horror. They Rescue and Protect those animals and Spread the horror widely to improve public awareness.

However, their activity to protect those animals are facing the limit physically and economically.

It is difficult to report by the press in their country same as the report against dolphin hunting is difficult in Japan. So we’d like to continue appeal the present conditions of those animals and support them by showing this “Movie” from overseas. We do not have a big sponsor as we mentioned above.
Your continuous donation support the publicity work with our movie.

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Donor has the following privilege.
★We would be happy if you could help us by purchasing a video of “Asian Dog meat Report” from the Vimeo site.
Please contact us with your name and date of purchase, we will make your name engraved on the official site with the ending credit of our next work, “Animal Welfare Act” (tentative title).
(Contact e-mail: small.one.cinema@gmail.com)

Staff Profile

【Producer Eiko Obi】
She was born in May 15, 1965, Takanecho, Hokuto-shi, Yamanashi prefecture.
One white dove settled down on the roof of her parents’ house several days before she was born.
Her family thought that it is a sign of the happiness. It was an easy delivery at home.
She learned a problem between food and environment of the modern society by reading a book “Human began death march” which was her fathers’ at the childhood period
And, she noticed something very important what she need in her jolly life around the time that she read the special feature concerning the war published in AsahI Nenkan at the library of her elementary school.
And she has a job that deeply considers about the life of every living entity on the earth, environment, food, and health now.
She went to China (Beijing) to study language for late 20s. She thought that it was most suitable to interact with local people to learn their language. She took a trip to many places and interacted with local people. Her friend called this “guerrilla learning”.
She returned from China to her favorite home town, Yamanashi prefecture.
It is her dream to live at self-built straw bale house with dog and cat by organic farming at foot of the Yatsugatake.

【Director: Naotoshi Kitada】
He was born in 1968. After he quit high school, he made his first movie by 8mm cinefilm “Loneliness and Despair” which reflect himself. And won an Excellence Award at Japan Film Festival 1986.

He did trip around from place to place and spent approximately ten years to make a monochrome feature-length film ( 35mm cinefilm 83min.) which has his pet dog, was an abandoned dog, as a main role. “Dog” was featured in theater.

His lover living with him commits suicide in 2003. It triggered to produce two movies concerns suicide, A daydream drama of a married woman cutting off own life -“Asako”-(86min.monochrome/color 2005) and “Demonish”-(85min.color 2008) described an endless feeling of loss

He put his camera down from the drying up of the creation will, afterwards.
For a nuclear plant accident of 2011, he knew the existence of animals left in Fukushima evacuation zone,

And he took a camera again
He produced feature-length documentary movie “Divided Zone-Outcry of abandoned lives in Fukushima”(117min.color – 2013) and companion volume “Hidden Contamination” (92min.
monochrome/color-2015) calling to account for the delay of the development of legal systems concerning a life of animal through the suffering animals which are left by owners at restricted residence area, Iidate village. They were released nationwide in August, 2016.

【Music: Hiromichi Sakamoto】
He is having a session with various players as a cello player himself. He also play both by solo, and band. He is dealing with many stage music as a composer. He played a role in the documentary movie about music “We Don’t Care About Music Anyway” directed by Cédric Dupire, Gaspard Kuent.

He served as a music director of “MIDORI-KO” directed by Keita Kurosaka, “Divided Zone-Outcry of abandoned lives in Fukushima”, “Hidden Contamination” directed by Naotoshi Kitada and “Kiyokonokura” directed byTomomichi Nakamura, and so on

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