Triumph over adversity鈥攊t鈥檚 a common theme in Lucy Walker鈥檚 documentaries. From 2006鈥檚 , about sightless climber Erik Weihenmayer, to 2010鈥檚 Oscar-nominated , about trash pickers at S茫o Paulo鈥檚 biggest dump, the British director is drawn to characters with serious struggles on their hands. Her latest effort, , is no different. Walker set out to make a very short doc鈥攁 鈥渢wo-minute haiku,鈥 she called it鈥攁bout the iconic Japanese tree. Then the earthquake hit. The resulting film opens with a mesmerizing four-minute shot of the tsunami rolling in before weaving in images of the country鈥檚 beloved cherry blossom season, its traditional comfort needed more than ever. The movie earned Walker her second Oscar nod and airs on HBO in July. David Holbrooke talked with her about her focus on human resilience.
What was it like filming after the tsunami?
Shocking. There were very few people around, just survivors looking for their houses or family, occasional rescue workers, and utter devastation for miles up the coast. Even in Tokyo鈥攖he city was unrecognizable. There were rolling blackouts, so there were no streetlights or escalators, and there were constant aftershocks, some of them huge, up to magnitude 7.
How do you work in a disaster zone like that?
We had a tiny crew in a small car with some bottled water and ramen noodles. We wore face masks, although they don鈥檛 protect you from radiation. I did a film about nuclear weapons, so I鈥檓 familiar with the effects of radiation. We filmed one family going to their house; we were only there a little while, so we are OK. But because they have spent so much time there, sadly, they may not be.
Survival is a theme of a lot of your films. Why is that?
I like people who, when faced with a challenge, get up and really dig deep and do something impressive.
Like blind Everest climber Erik Weihenmayer.
I broke my ankle training to film his Everest attempt. I love climbing, but I must say I found the altitude frightening. The headache was so bad, and it was so cold at 21,000 feet. Our doctor got high-altitude pulmonary edema and had to be evacuated.
You鈥檙e not a climber?
No, just an enthusiast. But I鈥檓 also not a garbage picker or a Tibetan. In some ways, these are fantasies of my life鈥擨 would love to be a climber. But what I really want to do is tell stories about amazing people.