Like many typical politicians basically protecting their own keisters from the backlash and assault, the Japanese government still believes what occurred during World War I was all nothing but a hoax. It was a fraud. It’s nothing but an attempt from many people to portray the Japanese government as monstrous. This constant declaration from the small minority is still as inhuman as those who claim the Holocaust was a hoax. The numbers are uneven. Where are the witnesses? Someone would have come forward by now. The Japanese government still refuses to apologize, and just deems this as something that may or may not have happened during the war. And the war, they almost got their wish. The thousands of live ruined in exchange for their war effort was enough.

Will they ever receive it? Apparently no, you simply can not provide compensation worthy enough for these elderly women who were kidnapped at such young ages and forced into bordellos, forced to act as sexual objects to soldiers, suffering through rape, grueling sexual injuries, and horrible trauma that they still suffer through to this day, decades after the war ended. The scars will always be there, and these women were punished for simply being women. “Behind Forgotten Eyes” is a virtual masterpiece of historical filmmaking that explores the horrible events that many young girls were forced to endure and risked death if they refused. The surviving sex slaves talk of being forced to have sex with dozens of men daily even at the cost of their own personal health, and their inability to escape what the Japanese called “Comfort Zones” at risk of being recaptured, beaten, and possibly killed.

Stories from women like Moon and Park who were forced to waste their youth away and lay as men entered their room every minute having sex with them, and in spite of the remaining soldier’s insistence that it wasn’t that horrific to them at the time, they still reveal in their expressions that they’re grieving and for some audiences it will serve as consolation. Should we hate these men who recollect these horrific deeds they committed with a scoff, or should we just pity them as old men who simply bought into this effort? Perceptions of evil is never an easy road to travel, and “Behind Forgotten Eyes” will surely inspire debating among many. And as tensions and rivalries continue between Korea and Japan, Gilmore exposes the long lasting effects of this scandal and the sheer scars it’s left on the lands as well as the women.

Sadly, Gilmore also reveals the United States government’s part in concealing this scandal with Japan. “Behind Forgotten Eyes” is an example of the damages of war and what it can do to wreak pure havoc on home lands and foreign lands. The thousands of women raped and gang raped, the young girls forced into slavery enduring pain, and the children who may never be born, they have a voice now, thanks to Gilmore and crew. And it should be heard. This is a time capsule of a period that the Japanese government still refuses to own up to, and it’s a heartbreaking picture of evil and the instances when evil wins out.

This is an important film, it’s a powerful film, and it’s a film that must be seen to show how cruel humanity can be, and how horrible war can be. It’s a masterpiece that I implore you to seek once it hits the festival circuit. Gilmore shows how filmmakers can serve a wonderful purpose to give a voice to those silenced long ago. Kudos, Gilmore.

• For more information on "Behind Forgotten Eyes," visit the official website.

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