Independent Lens . WINGS OF DEFEAT

THE FILM

THE MAKING OF

THE FILMMAKERS

TALKBACK

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“To die in an instant, in their youth, not knowing the bitter or sweet of life. I just feel so sorry for them. They were all so talented and so alive.” —former Kamikaze pilot Hamazono Shigeyoshi

They were Japan’s Divine Wind Special Attack Unit, or Kamikaze tokkōtai, and 4,000 of them—some still in their teens—died in a futile effort to turn the tide of a war already lost. Little known outside of Japan, a few Kamikaze survived. Now old men, they must reconcile their guilt with their gratitude for the unexpected gift of a full life.

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			The Making Of: “With the stress and tight schedule, at times we were very tired…we forgot the camera twice—once in a restaurant, the other time in a train station. Luckily we were in Japan, where theft is not prevalent.” More >>


	The Filmmakers: “We were very fortunate to be able to interview four former Kamikaze at a time in their lives when they felt free to be completely honest.” More >>