The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan

This documentary depicts the theme of "hidden poverty" that has occurred in-spite of Japan's rapid economic growth in such a short period of time immediately following World War II. The film covers the suffering and hardships of single mothers, which has never been depicted before, from various angles, and unravels the causes of the unequal social background that people are unaware of.

What is the cause of more than 50% of single-parent families in Japan being in poverty? Why does Japan have some of the highest levels of child poverty among developed nations? And why are the Japanese people themselves are unaware of this?

The film will appeal to people's hearts and minds to rethink the state of a nation that is not functioning properly, and how social support should be provided by communicating better the current situation that the world finds itself in.

Magazines featuring the film:
AP News
https://apnews.com/article/poverty-japan-children-mothers-filmmaking-unmarried-2391ebf0bd955795195fbad25dd13348

ABC News (US)
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/japan-rich-children-poor-film-documents-plight-single-106590095

Tokyo Weekender
https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/single-mothers-in-japan
“Rionne McAvoy’s documentary about single mothers in Japan is powerful”
“McAvoy is a natural raconteur (storyteller). His brilliant storytelling also involves the history of postwar Japan, yet what McAvoy reveals in his film the best is a series of narratorial boxes in which he opens the situations and realities in which many single parents in Japan live in.

Festival Review Magazine
https://festivalreviews.org/2023/03/26/feature-film-review-the-ones-left-behind-the-plight-of-single-mothers-in-japan

“Rionne comes at this film from both an outsider/insider’s point of view. As a long-term resident, he understands the Japanese culture and ideology, but he’s also looking at it from the perspective of a foreigner. He sees the beauty of Japan, which is fitting because it makes him the right person to do a documentary about the ugliness of it.”

Indiewrap Magazine
https://indiewrapmag.com/film/the-ones-left-behind-a-peak-into-the-lives-of-single-mothers-in-japan

“The ones left behind: The plight of single mothers in Japan doesn’t just highlight the problems faced by single mothers in Japan. It proposes suggestions that can help single mothers in future to live a normal life and prevent inter-generational poverty.

Best selling author Robert Whiting
“I watched Rionne's film and was stunned at how good it was--educational and moving, it deserves as wide an audience as possible. It's clear we are watching the emergence of a first rate cinematic story teller. I'm eager to see Rionne does next.”

Tokyo American Club Official Magazine (print and online – page 19 of magazine)
“As a cameraman and director with an interest in social justice issues, McAvoy has produced content for global outlets like Japan’s NHK and the BBC, and has worked closely with several Japanese prefectural governments including a campaign that was directly responsible for the lifting of import bans on Fukushima food products from several overseas countries. His new documentary, The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan, is an unflinching look at an ignored social problem.”
https://issuu.com/intouch_magazine/docs/2023-05-may-intouch