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Corporate Negligence

Minamata (2020)

Andrew Levitas • 115 min

Chisso Corporation poisoned a Japanese fishing village. The world looked away.

Our Rating 7/10
IMDB 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes 78%
Metacritic 55

Where to Watch

Amazon Prime Apple TV YouTube (rental)

Synopsis

Based on the true story of war photographer W. Eugene Smith, who traveled to Minamata, Japan in 1971 to document the devastating effects of mercury poisoning caused by the Chisso Corporation's chemical plant dumping industrial waste into Minamata Bay.

Our Review

The Minamata disaster is the template for every corporate environmental catastrophe that followed — including asbestos. Chisso Corporation knew its factory was poisoning the bay, denied responsibility for years, and used its economic power to silence victims. The parallels to asbestos companies are exact.

Who Should Watch

Anyone who wants to understand the global pattern of corporate negligence.

Key Topics Covered

Mercury poisoning Chisso Corporation Minamata disease Photojournalism International corporate negligence

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What Critics Say

“Heartfelt yet jumbled, Minamata pays uneven tribute to a remarkable real-life story.”

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus

“Impressive if somewhat less-than-nuanced.”

Peter Debruge, Variety

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