Country and western music may be the soulful sound of the mountain, far, and Deep South, but after World War II, it also shaped a generation growing up in the Far East. Far Western is a music-fueled, character-driven film about Japan’s history and obsession with American country music. The Far East Network, established just after the war, broadcast the music to the soldiers stationed in Japan during the U.S. occupation. While the tunes soothed the troops, the music also captured the imaginations of a “ghost” audience of young but very committed Japanese listeners. Through the stories of colorful musicians, fans, and venue owners, the film explores how this simple yet profound form crossed geographies, languages, and histories to create a strange cultural channel between two countries and those who enjoy it in the Far East as well as the Far West.  MRS

Filmmaker Q&A following screening