Brakeless

Documentary exploring one of Japans biggest train crashes in modern history caused when a driver tried to catch up with a delay of just 80 seconds Its a cautionary tale of what happens when punctuality protocol and efficiency are taken to the extreme On Monday April 25th 2005 a West Japan Railway commuter train crashed into an apartment building and killed 107 people Just what pressures made the driver risk so much for such a minimal delay Piecing together personal accounts of those affected by the train crash with insights from experts and former train drivers the film poses a question for a society that equates speed with progress It offers a fascinating insight into the railways role in Japans postwar economic boom and the dangers of cornercutting in the prolonged economic stagnation that followed Through the lens of this catastrophic train crash Brakeless considers the ultimate cost efficiency