My Name is Tama-chan
Short Film – 5 min

This short biographical documentary tells the story of Yoshiomi Tamai, who was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1935. Following the loss of his mother in a traffic accident in 1964, he began investigating the state of traffic accidents in Japan. He became an advocate, critiquing the inadequacies of the healthcare and legal systems of Japan. In 1969 he founded the Association for Traffic Accident Orphans. In 1998 he took on the role of President at Ashinaga, an NGO focused on the education and social rehabilitation of orphaned students, which he continues to this day. As he and those closest to him reflect on his legacy, that same boy shines through the aged and wise civic leader who has adopted the name “Tama-Chan” – a name suffix normally reserved for children.