Official Selections: 9th LA Asian Film Festival
Congratulations to our accepted filmmakers!
Films are listed in alphabetical order, index to the left.
Scroll Down to learn more about each film
Uprooted
Animation
West Coast Premiere
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hanako and her family are abruptly uprooted from their home by order of President Roosevelt's signing of Executive Order 9066, forcing them and 120,000 other Japanese Americans into remote and isolated internment camps. Uprooted follows Hanako's life before, during and after the camps, displaying the harsh realities of discrimination and confinement, the deep generational trauma it leaves behind, the enduring bonds of family and community and the remembrance of this event.
Throughout my childhood my grandmother, Hisako Kido Yasuda, shared her experience of being interned during World War II. These stories were so close to her and my family, but I noticed that in school this time period was completely glossed over in history books.
Creating this film was my opportunity to tell my grandmother's story through animation.
I hope this film will be educational to those that have never heard about the internment of Japanese Americans. My main goal throughout the whole process was to honor my grandmother and the other Japanese Americans who came before me and endured so many hardships and trials. I will continue sharing this story, as we should never forget this time in history and ensure something like this never happens again.
Director: Becca Jackson
Producer: Becca Jackson
Writer: Becca Jackson
Cast: Kei Ito, Rachel Depp, Linda Benjamin
Cinematographer: Becca Jackson (Animator)
Editor: Becca Jackson
Any awards, accolades or additional details about the process you would like to mention:
Past showing: Mica Animation Festival 2023 Official Selection
Award: Mica Animation Festival 2023 Jury Honorable Mention Award
The process of creating and animating Uprooted was cathartic, deeply personal and a labor of love. Uprooted is a 2D animated film, with each frame digitally hand-drawn. I pulled inspiration from my grandmother and great-uncle's stories, along with historically accurate, illustrated images from the time period. Uprooted was my Senior Thesis project at Maryland Institute College of Art. The Japanese Internment and my grandmother's experience have been on my heart ever since I was a child, so when it came to deciding on my thesis I knew this was the story I wanted to tell.
Instagram: @beccajj.art
Waves (For Ryan)
Short
USA Premiere
In the wake of his childhood friend’s suicide, Danny will do anything to stay out of the house. As a last ditch effort to reconnect the friend group, Danny brings "the boys" back together for one last summer night.
Director: Rachel Kwan
Producer: Brooke Fusick
Writer: Rachel Kwan
Cast: Anthony Curtis, Arvin Shah, Ashley Kobayashi, Harnoor Gill
Cinematographer: Rachel Chen
Editor: Emma Lawless, Carson Poole
- Vancouver Asian Film Festival
- Sher Vancouver's Best 2SLGBTQ+ Short Film
- Mighty Asian Moviemmaking Marathon - Best Director & Best Film
Website: filmfreeway.com/Waves_ForRyan
Instagram: @waves.shortfilm