Calling Australia

Calling Australia (Japanese: オーストラリアを呼び出します, romanized: Ōsutoraria o Yobidashimasu) was a 1943 Japanese short film, directed by Dr. Huyung (formerly known as Hinatsu Eitaro, Hae Yeong, and Hŏ Yŏng).[1][2][3]

History

The film was made by the Imperial Japanese Army Secret Service and Australian servicemen, and served as propaganda to train the Australian public to accept occupation of their country by the Japanese military.[4][5] The film depicts Australian prisoners of war (POWs) in Java, Indonesia who are drinking beer, playing sports, eating balanced meals;[6] and culminates in a stage show by the POWs, some performing in drag.

The Allies responded with the film produced by the Australian Army, Nippon Presents (1945).[6] An invasion of Australia by Japan never happened and the film had been forgotten and lost, only to be rediscovered in 1969.[4] However there are conflicting reports on who found the film.

Prisoners of Propaganda (1987) is an Australian documentary film about the making of Calling Australia, directed by Graham Shirley.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Calling Australia", Mubi, retrieved 2022-09-14
  2. ^ Barker, Thomas (July 2017). "Colonial Mobility and Ambiguity: The Life of Filmmaker Hinatsu/Huyung". TRaNS: Trans-Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia. 5 (2): 197–215. doi:10.1017/trn.2017.3. ISSN 2051-364X. S2CID 131810218.
  3. ^ Kim, Han Sang (October 16, 2019). "Korean Premiere of "Calling Australia!" (1943c, dir. Hŏ Yŏng) at Yonsei Mirae Campus". H-Asia, H-Net. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  4. ^ a b Cull, Nicholas John; Culbert, David Holbrook; Welch, David (2003). Propaganda and Mass Persuasion: A Historical Encyclopedia, 1500 to the Present. ABC-CLIO. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-57607-820-4.
  5. ^ a b "Prisoners Of Propaganda (1987)". The Screen Guide - Screen Australia. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  6. ^ a b Murphy, Jim (September 15, 1988). "Green Guide Video". Newspapers.com. The Age. p. 47. ISSN 0312-6307. Retrieved 2022-09-14.