Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Get your hanky ready. This 1988 Japanese animated film really packs an emotional punch Grave of the Fireflies was written and directed by Isao Takahata and based on a 1967 semi-autobiographical novel by Akiyuki Nosaka. This heartbreaking story is about two children (a young boy and his little sister) who struggle to survive after the city of Kobe, Japan is bombed during an incendiary attack and their mother is killed. Their city literally goes up in flames as the buildings of paper and wood are engulfed mercilessly. I watched this film decades ago, but it seems like it was yesterday because we can still see the devastating effects of war every day on our television sets. But, too often, the stories of human suffering -- especially of the children that are left orphaned -- are passed over. This film is sure to engage students in a meaningful discussion about what is inhumanely called "collateral damage". There is no such thing.
If you have time to talk about current events in your classroom, then you can probably fit this movie into your day. I recommend showing the film over a week so that there is time for discussion, comparison, and writing. Collect images or first hand accounts of bombings from survivors of this or other wars or from today's news to juxtapose with different parts of the movie. Here are some important sections of the movie to show and discuss.
The movie opens with pro-war, patriotic "We're gonna win!" attitudes. Then, the air raid occurs. Mass casualties and wanton destruction follow! The main characters are in shock -- in one moment their whole world has changed. Their struggle to stay alive is frantic and eventually hopeless.
This film is powerful in its storytelling and in giving a voice to the "losing" side of WWII. In doing so, we learn one thing: there were no winners.
edited by sshiva on 7/30/2014