Films at the Embassy of Japan: Darkness in the Light　日本の黒い夏　－冤罪－

The poison gas incident that occurred in the city of Matsumoto on the night of 27 June 1994 was a terrible disaster that claimed a large number of casualties. The police searched the home of a man, an average citizen, who was the first to inform them of the incident and who was himself one of the victims, on suspicion of murder, without any clear grounds for suspicion.

Through the eyes of high school students who later investigate the mass media coverage of the crime, the film depicts an innocent human being who finds himself in desperate straits due to the power of the police and the mass media, which made wildly inaccurate reports. It also highlights his strong bonds with his family who firmly believe in his innocence in spite of all the cruel slander and prejudice they experience. The director forcefully scrutinises the media reporting and the police investigation carried out at the time as he painstakingly brings the truth to light.