Friends of Megumi, in partnership with the Chotto Matte Kyodoshinken Network (Japanese Network Against Joint Parental Authority After Divorce), Central European University (CEU), and PATENT (People Opposing Patriarchy), present the international film premiere of Mayday Rain on 1 December in Budapest and Vienna, followed by a discussion with experts, advocates, and friends.
Inspired by survivors’ campaigns and stories, the film Mayday Rain reveals how a law meant to “modernize” Japan’s family system instead endangers those it claims to protect - exploring the global failures of custody, child protection, and violence prevention systems from Tokyo to Budapest.
Sign up for the event here.
This event takes place as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
On-site free childcare is provided (pre-registration required).
About the Film & Event
Mayday Rain (Japan, 2025, 74’)
Director: Reo Tomita
How far can law protect? How far can it harm?
It was May 2024, and the rain would not stop. Outside the National Diet, the Japanese parliament, survivors of domestic violence and child abuse stood together to oppose a rewriting of the Civil Code that would redefine parental rights. But the law passed - allowing divorced parents to share parental authority, a reform presented as “modernization” yet condemned by survivors, lawyers, and women’s groups for endangering those it claims to protect.
What comes after the rain?
The first professionally produced Japanese film made in close collaboration with survivors of domestic violence, Mayday Rain tells the stories of those most affected by the new law - their struggles, their activism, and their fears. It dramatizes a future under joint parental authority and uses survivors’ stories, campaigners’ reflections, and legal insights to reveal the impact of the reforms. The film exposes how power, law, and resistance collide in the politics of divorce and parenting - revealing the deep flaws within joint custody systems, child protection regimes, and gender-based violence prevention, impact on women and children around the world.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A featuring:
- Harumi Okamura – Association of Lawyers Seeking to Provide Accurate Information about Joint Parental Authority
- Julia Spronz – PATENT (People Opposing Patriarchy)
- Krisztina Les – Hague Mothers
- Branislava Arađan – WAVE (Women Against Violence Europe Network)
Moderator: Stasya Sokolova, international journalist and Friend of Megumi
How can you join?
This event is open to the public and free of charge. The film is screened in Japanese with English subtitles, followed by a discussion in English.
The film will be screened simultaneously in Budapest and Vienna, with audiences in both locations joining together for a shared discussion, followed by an informal reception after the event.
If you wish to attend this event, please register here: https://forms.office.com/e/RheUJGfsR2
This event was kindly supported by the Friends of Megumi, the Feminist Society of Central European University, the CEU Democracy Institute - Inequalities and Democracy Workgroup, the CEU Civic Engagement, Arts & Culture Unit, the CEU Student Engagement Office and the CEU Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equality.
In memoriam of Megumi‑san
On January 29, 2025, our friend Megumi, a Japanese woman, long-time resident of Budapest, and mother of two, was killed. Before her murder she suffered years of domestic violence and abuse; her ex-husband is currently in custody, awaiting trial for her murder. Her death shocked both Hungary and Japan, highlighting systemic failures in domestic violence prevention and cross-border protection. This screening is dedicated to her memory - may it serve as a call for love, justice, and hope.
