PAAFF’15 Pre-Festival Screening – Japanese Americans at War
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Tsuru
Director Chris K.T. Bright | 2014 | 23 mins | Narrative
Knowing that ailing Mr. Ikeda will not survive without her treatment, a young American nurse helps an elderly couple in hiding in May 1942. As another wave of Japanese Americans are forcibly evacuated, suspicions arise when her FBI agent husband and military personnel are unable to find the Ikeda couple.
A Song For Manzanar
Director Kazuko Golden | 2014 | 17 mins | Narrative
Set in 1945 Manzanar Internment Camp, Sachie tries to instill hope in her young son by singing a childhood folk song from Hiroshima while waiting for news from her sister back home.
People Aren’t All Bad
Director Matthew Hashiguchi | 2013 | 4 mins | Documentary
A Japanese American Internment Camp survivor reminisces about the weeks leading up to the incarceration and his first few days in Topaz camp.
Honor & Sacrifice: The Roy Matsumoto Story
Director Lucy Ostrander | 2013 | 28 mins | Documentary
A riveting story about Japanese American war hero Roy Matsumoto whose family was incarcerated, ancestral home destroyed by the atomic bomb, and came face-to-face with family members fighting on the opposite side of the war.
Image drawn by Sumi Kobayashi while she was incarcerated
Plays & Players and The Historical Society of Pennsylvania present “The Truths Behind Hold These Truths“, an exploration of real-life letters, newspaper clippings and more from survivors of Japanese Internment in the context of the Philadelphia premiere of the play Hold These Truths. Join us at The Historical Society of Pennsylvania at 1300 Locust Street to view some of the amazing personal journeys taken by survivors of one of the most unspoken dark moments in American history. We will begin with a sneak peek of Hold These Truths, performed by Makoto Hirano, and will be joined by internment survivor Sumiko Kobayashi will put the performance and the historical records in context, providing a rare opportunity to hear first person testimony of what it was like to be alive in this life-changing historic moment. Use code “playsandplayers” for $5 off tickets!
Jeanne Sakata Photo by Lia Chang
Post-Show Talkback with Shan Cretin, co-sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee
Special post-show talkback free with ticket following the 3pm performance. Playwright Jeanne Sakata joins General Secretary Shan Cretin of the American Friends Service Committee to shed a modern light on the historical issues, and examine the legacy of Gordon Hirabayashi today.
Shan Cretin, AFSC
February 19 at 6PM
Pre-show Happy Hour with Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Pre-show “happy hour” event free for all ticket holders at 6pm (performance at 7pm.) On the anniversary of Executive Order 9066 that allowed for Japanese Internment, join us pre-show for happy hour priced drinks as the Historical Society of Pennsylvania‘s Matthew Lyons, Director of Archives and Collections Management reviews highlights from the real-life letters, newspaper clippings and more from survivors in collection at HSP.
Kristin Combs, Green Party
February 21 at 2PM
Post-show Gathering with the Green Party
Join Friends of Kristin Combs and the Green Party for a post-show gathering with Kristin Combs, the city council at large candidate, following the 2pm performance, and learn about what’s being done locally to honor the legacy of Gordon Hirabayashi in the fight for social justice. Should you be interested in using your ticket purchase to support Friends of Kristin Combs, please click here.
Hiro Nishikawa, Internment Survivor
February 22 at 3PM
Post-show Talkback with WWII WRA camp Survivors: —Ikeda, Kobayashi, Horikawa, & Nishikawa
George Ikeda in Poston Camp II in 1943.
Special post-show talkback free with ticket following the 3pm performance. Actor Makoto Hirano joins real life WWII Relocation Camp survivors from Philadelphia Japan American Citizens League to explore the truths behind Hold These Truths, providing a rare opportunity to hear first person testimonies of what it was like to be alive in this life-changing historic moment.