NOS Troostmeisjes / BECAUSE WE WERE BEAUTIFUL

‘Japanese cast-offs’ is what they are still called, the former Indonesian comfort women. During the second World War they were forced to carry out sexual activities in military brothels, encampments or Japanese barracks. In Because We Were Beautiful a number of women tell their story. About the systematic rapes, the humiliations, the fear and how this influenced their lives. A documentary full of shame, sorrow and reluctantly told life stories.

Director: Frank van Osch
Interviews: Hilde Janssen
Photography: Jan Banning

Two books were published about this subject:

Comfort Women/ Troostmeisjes (janbanning.com) (Language: Dutch/English)
Schaamte en onschuld (hildejanssen.nl) (Language: Dutch)

This documentary was made with the support of: Ministerie van VWS, V-Fonds, VSB-fonds, NOS, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Professor van Winterfonds, Stichting Democratie en Media, Vocas.

More information: vofprodukties.tv
Date: 15-08-2010