June Bride: Redemption of a Yakuza

Tatsuya Shindo, the charismatic subject of filmmaker Derek Shimoda's stylish documentary, details his journey to respectability after years as a member of the yakuza (i.e., the Japanese mob). In June Bride—the title comes from the bar-turned-church where Tatsuya preaches the gospel—Tatsuya recalls that he first turned to crime as a teenager, disappointing his mother so thoroughly that she confesses, "This might sound harsh, but I thought of killing him and myself." Tatsuya sold drugs and then became an addict. After spending time in prison, he found God, went to seminary school, and now strives to help other ex-cons get their lives together. At first no one attended his church, but now he has 20 members. He aims to make them feel welcome and productive, courtesies that Japanese society often denies ex-cons (some establishments even feature signs that read, "No tattoos, no yakuza"). Tatsuya also speaks at schools and prisons and provides temporary housing for some of the men while they look for work. He regrets that his criminal past kept him away from his daughter for years, but after the latter had a falling out with her mother, she moved in with Tatsuya, and the two seem to get along well. Shimoda also profiles seven of Tatsuya's parishioners, some of whom land jobs, while others do not (and one returns to prison). June Bride makes clear that it's hard to be ex-yakuza—but not impossible. Featuring artful cinematography, inventive editing, and a dreamy score from Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)