Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War (1971)
A landmark of radical political cinema, this 1971 Japanese documentary captures armed resistance in Lebanon with unflinching ideological commitment.
Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War - Movie Information
- Original Title: 赤軍-PFLP 世界戦争宣言
- Release Year: 1971
- Directed by: Masao Adachi, Kōji Wakamatsu
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Documentary
- Runtime: 1h 10m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 29, 1971 (Japan)
- Alternative Titles: Sekigun ‐ PFLP sekai sensō sengen (JP)
- Production Companies: Wakamatsu Production
- Production Countries: Japan, Palestinian Territory
Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War - Plot
On their way back from the Cannes Film Festival in 1971, filmmakers Wakamatsu Koji and Adachi Masao visited Lebanon to meet Japan's Red Army faction and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine to shoot a newsreel film promoting the Palestinian resistance. Conceived as a 'declaration of world war' that implicates us all, the directors capture the everyday banality of military training and preparation exercises for imminent battle.
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Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Masao Adachi
- Kōji Wakamatsu
Main Cast
- Rokihiro Toga
- Aoi Nakajima
- Susumu Iwabuchi
- Masao Matsuda
- Masao Adachi
- Fusako Shigenobu
- Leila Khaled
- Ghassan Kanafani
- Mustafa Abu Ali
Writers
- Masao Adachi
Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War - FAQs
What is Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War about?
The film documents Japanese filmmakers Kōji Wakamatsu and Masao Adachi's 1971 journey to Lebanon, where they embedded with the Japanese Red Army faction and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The result is a raw, politically charged newsreel capturing military training and the everyday rhythms of armed resistance.
Who directed Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War?
The film was co-directed by Kōji Wakamatsu and Masao Adachi, two of Japan's most provocative radical filmmakers. Both were deeply involved in the Japanese New Wave and maintained close ties to leftist political movements throughout their careers.
Is Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War based on real events?
Absolutely. Wakamatsu and Adachi traveled to Lebanon in 1971 after the Cannes Film Festival and filmed actual members of the Japanese Red Army and the PFLP. The figures on screen — including Leila Khaled and Ghassan Kanafani — were real, prominent figures in the Palestinian resistance movement.
Who appears in Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War?
The film features a remarkable cast of real political figures, including Leila Khaled, the iconic Palestinian militant, and Ghassan Kanafani, the writer and PFLP spokesman. Japanese figures such as Fusako Shigenobu, co-founder of the Japanese Red Army, also appear alongside filmmakers Masao Adachi and Masao Matsuda.
Why was this film considered radical and controversial?
The film openly aligned itself with armed revolutionary movements at a time of intense global tension. Framed as a 'declaration of world war,' it rejected neutrality and positioned the camera as a weapon of solidarity. Its explicit endorsement of the PFLP and Japanese Red Army made it deeply controversial in Japan and internationally.
What genre is Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War?
It's a documentary — though a deeply unconventional one. Rather than observational journalism, the film functions as political agitprop, blending newsreel footage with a manifesto-like perspective. It sits at the intersection of documentary filmmaking and radical political cinema.
How long is Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War?
The film runs for 70 minutes. Despite its relatively short runtime, it packs in a dense mix of observational footage, political rhetoric, and on-the-ground documentation of guerrilla training camps, making it an intense and concentrated viewing experience.
What are similar films to Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War?
If this film resonates with you, explore No Other Land (2024), Last Men in Aleppo (2017), Fire at Sea (2016), The Oslo Diaries (2018), and Statues Also Die (1953). Each tackles political conflict, displacement, or resistance through a documentary lens with comparable urgency and moral commitment.
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