The Stolen Sea (1984)

The Stolen Sea (1984) poster

Umitori takes place in Shimokita Peninsula on the northern edge of the mainland, which was becoming a “nuclear energy peninsula”, undergoing tremendous development and serving as the home port for Mutsu, a nuclear­-powered ship. Focusing on the fishermen and their stories, Tsuchimoto and his crew made their subject matter the “theft of the sea” perpetrated by giant business conglomerates. While the fishermen of Minamata were obvious victims of the mercury­-poisoning tragedy, the fishermen in Shimokita were inadvertently becoming the permanent victims of another announced trag­edy. Tsuchimoto interviews the fishermen, especially focusing on a stage play actor and his boat­-owner family, establishing, as it became his practice, a complex reflection about the threat brought to small communities by the forces of “progress”.

Director: Noriaki Tsuchimoto
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 103 min
Release Date:
Music: Yuji Takahashi
Production: Seirinsha
Country: Japan
Language: 日本語
Original Language: ja
More Films by Director: Noriaki Tsuchimoto
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Stolen Sea about?
Umitori takes place in Shimokita Peninsula on the northern edge of the mainland, which was becoming a “nuclear energy peninsula”, undergoing tremendous development and serving as the home port for Mutsu, a nuclear­-powered ship. Focusing on the fishermen and their stories, Tsuchimoto and his crew made their subject matter the “theft of the sea” perpetrated by giant business conglomerates. While the fishermen of Minamata were obvious victims of the mercury­-poisoning tragedy, the fishermen in Shimokita were inadvertently becoming the permanent victims of another announced trag­edy. Tsuchimoto interviews the fishermen, especially focusing on a stage play actor and his boat­-owner family, establishing, as it became his practice, a complex reflection about the threat brought to small communities by the forces of “progress”.
Who directed The Stolen Sea?
The Stolen Sea was directed by Noriaki Tsuchimoto.
How long is The Stolen Sea?
The Stolen Sea has a runtime of 1h 43m (103 minutes).
What genre is The Stolen Sea?
The Stolen Sea is a Documentary film.
Where was The Stolen Sea produced?
The Stolen Sea was produced in Japan.