Looking for the Wolf (2018) (동아시아반일무장전선 / 狼を探して, dir. Kim Mirye) excavates the history of the East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front (EAAJAF, 東アジア反日武装戦線), a direct action group that targeted infrastructure at the political and economic core of the Japanese Empire. Using urban guerrilla tactics, they sought to draw attention to how the affluence of postwar Japan depended upon the continued oppression of indigenous and colonial subjects.
From 1972 to 1975, the EAAJAF committed a series of bombings in Japan, including the 1974 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries bombing, which killed eight people and injured at least 376 others. Despite being labelled as a terrorist organisation by the state, the collective garnered the solidarity of citizens who sympathised with their anti-imperialist struggle. Made more than four decades after the EAAJAF's dissolution, the documentary journeys from Osaka to Hokkaido in search of former members and supporters, reflecting on the group's flawed strategies and ambivalent legacy.
Cockroach Cinema Club will host a post-film discussion about histories of anti-imperialism and the role of direct action in politics today.
About Us:
Cockroach Cinema Club🪳 is a film collective sharing histories of anti-imperialism.
All profits will be directed to Abood. We also encourage audiences to donate directly!
"My name is Abood Elsayed from Gaza. I sustained severe injuries during the war, which significantly affected the peripheral nerves in my right hand and both feet, as many shrapnel fragments still remain lodged in various parts of my body.
My family’s home was completely destroyed, and in a single moment we found ourselves stripped of all our possessions. I am a lawyer seeking to continue my studies toward a master’s degree in Europe and to receive appropriate medical treatment to restore my health and youth, none of which will be possible unless I am able to leave Gaza."
Abood is in the process of applying for a law degree at the University of Pavia in Italy. Acceptance onto this course will increase his chances of being able to leave Gaza and rebuild his life. In Italy, he will receive the medical care he needs and continue the studies that were cut short by the genocide. We are seeking to raise €15,000 to pay for university fees, visas, and living expenses. Please donate or share his fundraiser to bring us closer to this goal!
Accessibility Information:
- Step-free access from street level.
- DDA-compliant toilet on-site.
- Nearest stations:
- Cambridge Heath Overground (3 min walk)
- Bethnal Green Tube Station (5 min walk)
- Old Ford Road bus stops G and H (routes: 106, 254, 388, D6, N253)