Academic departments within the Judith Enyeart Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH) recently teamed together to co-host a screening of Shiori Itō’s 2024 documentary “Black Box Diaries.”

The screening, coordinated by Assistant Professor of East Asian History Dr. Linshan Jiang, was held Nov. 14 at the Moxie Cinema in Springfield, Missouri.

“Shiori Itō is such an iconic figure of the Japanese #MeToo movement and holds significance for me personally,” she said.

Missouri State’s Department of History; Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film; Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions; and Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology joined the Moxie Cinema to sponsor the event.

Jiang estimated 50-60 people attended the screening.

Award-winning documentary explores gender-based violence

Released in 2024, the documentary “Black Box Diaries” received a Peabody Award. Other awards include an OSCAR® nomination for Best Documentary Feature and a top five documentary film of 2024 honor by the National Board of Review.

Itō is a Japanese journalist and filmmaker whose work focuses on gender equality and human rights issues.

“The film chronicles Shiori Itō’s ongoing investigation and pursuit of justice following the sexual violence she endured as a young journalist at the hands of a senior figure in Japanese media,” according to Itō’s press release. “Her unwavering resolve to challenge Japan’s patriarchal judicial, political and media systems has made her case a landmark in the legal and cultural recognition of gender-based violence in Japan.”

Time magazine named Itō one of its “100 Most Influential People” in 2020.

Topic relevant to Asian history

Jiang’s own research and teaching interests motivated her to screen Itō’s film. She specializes in gender-based violence during the Second World War, focusing on East Asian contexts.

The documentary’s subject matter is relevant to her classroom teaching, Jiang added. “In my Premodern East Asia course, I talk about the patriarchal culture in premodern East Asia, and students can see a continuation in contemporary Japan.”

The film also aligns with another of Jiang’s courses, Memory Studies in East Asia. In that course, Jiang discusses the “comfort women” issue. This refers to the system of sexual slavery created and controlled by the Imperial Japanese government from 1932-1945. The topic remains controversial in Japan to this day.

Audience enjoys virtual visit with Itō

To launch the event, Jiang gave a brief biography on Itō and introduced the film. After the film, Itō joined the audience via Google Meet for a question and answer session.

Both the film and the session gave students an opportunity to learn more about Itō. “Almost all of them knew nothing about Shiori Itō,” Jiang said. “She is a figure that is outside of their usual attention.”

Itō in turn also found the session informative and inspiring, according to Jiang, At one point, she asked the audience for suggestions on how to remain optimistic. Several students responded by sharing songs with her.

In their feedback, the audience described the event as “moving” and “empowering,” Jiang said.

“I think many audience members were weeping,” she noted. “They also laughed and cried with the emotional flow of the film.”

Jiang hopes to arrange an on-campus visit by Itō in 2026.