GAMA
2023・Japan・53 minutes
On April 1, 1945, U.S. troops landed on Okinawa. Amid the fighting, Japanese civilians sought refuge in natural limestone caves. In one cave in Yomitan Village, 140 people hid underground. The following day, 83 took their own lives, believing they would be slaughtered or tortured if they surrendered. Mitsuo Matsunaga, a peace guide born after the war, has spent years searching for the remains of those who died. As he recounts these memories of war, a woman in blue listens and observes, moving through the caves like a shadow between past and present.
Following Aragane, her debut feature, which received a Special Mention at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Kaori Oda continues to explore underground spaces and collective memory. Shot on 16mm film, GAMA uses image and sound to evoke the echoes of war within the caves. Her latest film, Underground, extends this exploration from Okinawa to Sapporo and across Japan, and was selected for Berlinale 2025.
Trailers & Clips
Stills & Posters
Stills & Posters
Awards & Festivals
2024
Cinéma du réel
Competition
2023
International Documentary Filmfestival Amster
Envision Competition
Cast & Crew
Director
小田香
Kaori Oda
Actor
Mitsuo Matsunaga
Actor