The Forgotten Force

"Tells the story of Australia's role as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in the occupation of Japan"

1994 0h 56m EN

😐

6.0

MID

★6.0TMDB · 1

DocumentaryHistoryWar

Synopsis

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After the atomic obliteration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, over 36,000 Australian men and women, part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF), marched onto Japanese soil. They were assigned the toughest and most dangerous area of Japan: Hiroshima Prefecture, which included the atom-bombed city. The Forgotten Force tells for the first time the story of Australia's role in Japan. Rare archival and private footage, photographs and eyewitness accounts from both sides vividly recreate the atmosphere of post-war Japan - the horror of Hiroshima and its aftermath; the struggle to build a new "democratic" society while under the heel of military rule; the growth from suspicion and fear to friendship and trust between foes.

“Tells the story of Australia's role as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in the occupation of Japan”

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Cast

Hugo Weaving
Narrator

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Raymond Quint
Writers: Raymond Quint, Julian Leatherdale
Languages: English, Japanese
Countries: Australia

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 56-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

32 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Japanese.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Raymond Quint, shot by Rod Jong. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jan Preston. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Doug Howard shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Tells the story of Australia's role as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in the occupation of Japan".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Raymond Quint directs. Rod Jong behind the camera. Jan Preston scores. Doug Howard cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Australia. Dialogue in English, Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 56-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
232 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Japanese.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Raymond Quint, shot by Rod Jong. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Jan Preston. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Doug Howard shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Marketing tagline: "Tells the story of Australia's role as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in the occupation of Japan".
9IMDB entry: tt0733974 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.