Of the 490 Japanese movies released in Japan during the year ending November last year, 2 are "barrier-free movies" with subtitles such as dialogue and audio commentary so that people with hearing and visual disabilities can enjoy them. A survey by an NPO in Tokyo found that it was less than that.
A "barrier-free movie" is a movie that includes not only dialogue but also subtitles that express scenes and sound effects, as well as audio commentary. You can enjoy movies in the theater.
Tokyo's NPO "Media Access Support Center" surveyed 490 Japanese movies released in Japan during the year up to November last year, and found that 80 "barrier-free movies" accounted for 16.3% of the total. I found that I was staying.
Also, even if you are showing a "barrier-free movie", some movie theaters do not rent out special glasses that display subtitles in conjunction with the app, and you cannot see the subtitles at the same time as the screen in these places.
Koji Kawano, Executive Director of the Media Access Support Center, said, "Because it costs a lot to make a movie barrier-free, the current situation is that only major companies can produce it. There is a subsidy, but the frontage is very narrow, so I would like you to change it to something that is even easier to use. "
Persons concerned "Toward a society where people with disabilities can enjoy movies on an equal footing"
According to Mr. Junichi Fujihira, who is the director of the Center for the Hearing Impaired in Ishikawa Prefecture and cannot hear both ears, the number of "barrier-free movies" is small and the screening is limited to daytime on weekdays. It means that there are many cases where it is done.
Mr. Fujihira said, "I want to watch movies on weekday nights and weekends, and even deaf people want to go see them when a new movie is released. When people who can hear laugh, we laugh too. If people are crying, we will cry together. I hope we will have a society where people who can hear and those who cannot hear can enjoy movies on an equal footing. "
There is a system to subsidize up to 2 million yen per work, but ...
The Agency for Cultural Affairs has established a system to subsidize up to 2 million yen per work for the production of subtitles and audio guides for "barrier-free movies".
Last year, 47 works were applied for, and 18 works were decided to be delivered.
However, only the companies and organizations that actually produced the movie can apply for this system, and the business of adding subtitles and audio guides to the completed work is not included.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs told NHK that "the production of subtitles and audio guides is related to the permission of the work, so the target of the subsidy is limited to the companies and organizations that produced it. It is an important initiative to expand the base of the movie. , I would like to continue to take necessary measures and support. "
In a movie theater with the concept of "everyone can enjoy together"
The mini theater "Cinema Chupki Tabata" in Kita-ku, Tokyo is funded by crowdfunding six years ago with the concept of providing "movies that everyone can enjoy together" regardless of disabilities. It was made by soliciting.
Subtitles are added to all the films to be screened so that even people with hearing impairments can enjoy the movie, and people with hearing impairments can listen to detailed audio explanations about the scenes. Comes with earphones that you can watch.
There is also a private room where you can enjoy movies with peace of mind even if you have small children or people who are not good at the environment with people around.
A visually impaired man who came to see a movie said, "Since my eyes got worse, I was far from my favorite movie, but this movie theater enjoys the work without worrying about the disability. I can do things. "
Chihoko Hiratsuka, the representative of the movie theater, said, "People who can't see use their imagination by listening because they can't see, and people who can't hear see the actor's small gestures very carefully because they can't hear. I think that watching a movie together with different people, with or without it, has great expanse and potential, so I hope this place will become a place where people can mix more naturally. I think. "