How the Short Film Ikigai Explores What Workplaces Can Do to Support Survivors

Photo Credit: Ikigai Team

RALIANCE has a history of supporting media, including films, that promote stories of survivorship and advance the public’s understanding of sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse.  Recently, along with Respect Together, RALIANCE attended the New York Asian Film Festival at the Lincoln Center to offer support for the world premiere and Q&A for the short film Ikigai (2024), starring Eiji Nakagawa and Anna Takayo, and directed by Ramazan Nanayev. Nanayev is a New York City-based award-winning filmmaker, entrepreneur and strategist with over 10 years’ experience in driving social impact through film, media and technology.

Filmmaker Ramazan Nanayev and CEO, Respect Together and RALIANCE Managing Partner, Yolanda Edrington

From the film’s logline:

After his young friend Sophie is sexually assaulted, sushi master Mr. Gichi seeks revenge, challenging his sense of justice in the process.

Ikigai manages to weave a tale of survivor autonomy, workplace harassment and the cost of a lack of accountability within a workplace when an employer is willing to sacrifice employee and/or contractor safety for presumed profitability. At the heart of the film are questions about what it means to show up for those we care about but also what it means to intervene as a bystander. RALIANCE has also supported bystander intervention training through its IMPACT grant program by way of organizations such as Right To Be, whose bystander intervention trainings have reached nearly 2 million people and The New York  City Alliance Against Sexual Assault. 

Ikigai film still

In addition to working with organizations in a range of industries, including hospitality, we have also funded grants for organizations committed to addressing sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse within the hospitality industry. This includes organizations like the Coalition for Restaurant Safety & Health in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which focused on how to prevent and respond to sexual harassment in Philadelphia restaurants through training, implementation of better policies, and an awareness raising campaign. 

Ikigai puts a face to the statistics that illustrate a pervasive problem: in 2024, there were 26,872 sexual harassment claims filed at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), up slightly from the 25,473 filed the previous year. As represented in the film, within the hospitality, tourism, and service industries, employees also contend with experiencing sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse by guests, for example in a study from 2021 found that:

-In Europe, half of the perpetrators of sexual harassment against employees were guests or customers, and between a quarter and a half were from managers and colleagues.

-In the U.S. (Chicago), 58% of hotel workers and 77% of casino workers had been sexually harassed by guests.

Ikigai film still

Ultimately, as our past partnerships with independent films such as Roll Red Roll or LILLY demonstrate, we are interested in how stories can shift the public’s knowledge of sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse and move us to action. 

Ikigai will be showing in October at the ReadingFilmFEST. 

RALIANCE is a trusted adviser for organizations committed to building cultures that are safe, equitable, and respectful. RALIANCE offers unparalleled expertise in serving survivors of sexual harassment, misconduct, and abuse which drives our mission to help organizations across sectors create inclusive environments for all. For more information, please visit www.RALIANCE.org.