Ms. Ryan, an Ama Diver (2004)

Overview

This documentary highlights three years in the life of Ms. RYAN Eehon. She came to Japan after the Korean War from Cheju Island, South Korea and now lives alone in Osaka. She was born in 1916 and is 87 years old. We started this project when we came across an old film from 38 years ago, made by Mr. SHIN Gis, a researcher of Japanese-Korean history. The film describes the life of an ama diver and how she sent her children to North Korea with the repatriation program. Combining the old footage with present day footage, this film was finally completed successfully with the help of a Japanese and Korean camera crew and a family member of Ms. Ryan. The film describes the history of a Korean woman in Japan, her visit to homeland Cheju Island after a 53-year absence and her final visit to North Korea in 2003. It deals with the tragedy brought on by the conflict between the two nations and the significance of the family bond.