Day of Independence
Encyclopedia
Day of Independence is a short film, broadcast as a half-hour PBS television special
. It is a drama, set during the Japanese American internment
of World War II
, produced by Cedar Grove Productions
with Visual Communications
as fiscal sponsor.
's own father's World War II experience. During the war, Toyama's father, whose nickname
was Zip, was sent along with his entire family to a U.S. internment camp for Japanese Americans
. Zip's Issei (Japanese immigrant) father fell ill and elected to return to Japan, along with Zip's mother, on a prisoner exchange ship, called the Gripsholm
. However, the parents told Zip that as an American, he should remain in the U.S.
then adapted the play into a short film, which was produced by Lisa Onodera
. The film was shot in 6 days, in Stockton, California
and in Los Angeles. It was completed in 2003 and played in over 70 film and video festivals and competitions, winning 25 awards. Following its broadcast premiere on KHET/PBS Hawai'i
on May 12, 2005, the film received a Regional Emmy nomination, from the NATAS
San Francisco/Northern California Chapter (which includes Hawaii), in the category of Historical/Cultural – Program/Special.
(In order of appearance)
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
. It is a drama, set during the Japanese American internment
Japanese American internment
Japanese-American internment was the relocation and internment by the United States government in 1942 of approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese who lived along the Pacific coast of the United States to camps called "War Relocation Camps," in the wake of Imperial Japan's attack on...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, produced by Cedar Grove Productions
Cedar Grove Productions
Cedar Grove Productions is an independent production company based in Los Angeles, CA., specializing in media and theatre arts representing the Asian Pacific American community...
with Visual Communications
Visual Communications (VC)
Visual Communications – also known as VC – is a community-based non-profit media arts organization in Los Angeles, dedicated to creating, preserving and presenting Asian Pacific American history and culture through the media arts...
as fiscal sponsor.
History
The story of the film is based on playwright and executive producer Tim ToyamaTim Toyama
Tim Toyama is a playwright and producer. He is Sansei presently living in Los Angeles, CA. He is co-founder of the Asian American media company Cedar Grove Productions, and its sister Asian American theatre company, Cedar Grove OnStage. He attended C.S.U.N...
's own father's World War II experience. During the war, Toyama's father, whose nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
was Zip, was sent along with his entire family to a U.S. internment camp for Japanese Americans
Japanese American internment
Japanese-American internment was the relocation and internment by the United States government in 1942 of approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese who lived along the Pacific coast of the United States to camps called "War Relocation Camps," in the wake of Imperial Japan's attack on...
. Zip's Issei (Japanese immigrant) father fell ill and elected to return to Japan, along with Zip's mother, on a prisoner exchange ship, called the Gripsholm
MS Gripsholm
MS Gripsholm may refer to one of these passenger ships:, an ocean liner operated by the Swedish American Line, 1925–1954, a combined ocean liner/cruise ship operated by the Swedish American Line, 1957–1975, a cruise ship operated by Transocean Tours 1996–1997...
. However, the parents told Zip that as an American, he should remain in the U.S.
Background
Toyama wrote a play based on his family history, entitled "Independence Day." He and director Chris TashimaChris Tashima
Chris Tashima is a Japanese American actor and director. He is co-founder of the entertainment company Cedar Grove Productions and Artistic Director of its Asian American theatre company, Cedar Grove OnStage. He is the son of U.S. Circuit Judge A. Wallace Tashima...
then adapted the play into a short film, which was produced by Lisa Onodera
Lisa Onodera
Lisa Onodera is an American independent film producer, of such noted films as Picture Bride, The Debut and Americanese. She grew up in Berkeley, California, and attended UCLA where she received a degree from the School of Motion Picture and Television.Early film credits include serving as...
. The film was shot in 6 days, in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
and in Los Angeles. It was completed in 2003 and played in over 70 film and video festivals and competitions, winning 25 awards. Following its broadcast premiere on KHET/PBS Hawai'i
KHET
KHET, also called PBS Hawaii, is the only Public Broadcasting Service member non-commercial educational Public television station in Hawaii. Based in Honolulu, KHET first aired in 1966...
on May 12, 2005, the film received a Regional Emmy nomination, from the NATAS
Natas
Natas may refer to:*King Natas, the villain of the TurboGrafx-16 game Dungeon Explorer*Natas Kaupas, an American professional skateboarder*Natas , a Detroit hip hop group consisting of Esham, Mastamind and T-N-T...
San Francisco/Northern California Chapter (which includes Hawaii), in the category of Historical/Cultural – Program/Special.
Synopsis
A young baseball player faces the tragic circumstances of the internment of 110,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II. Set in a relocation camp in 1943, Day of Independence chronicles a family torn apart by a forced, unjust incarceration, a father's decision that challenges his son, and ultimately his son's triumph through courage, sacrifice and the All-American game of baseball.Cast
- Derek MioDerek MioDerek Mio is an American film and TV actor. He attended USC School of Cinematic Arts. He is a fourth-generation Japanese American.-Acting career:...
as Zip - Marcus Toji as Hog
- Alan MuraokaAlan MuraokaAlan Muraoka is an actor and theatre director who plays Alan, the current owner of Hooper's Store on the television show Sesame Street.-Early career:...
as Father - Keiko Kawashima as Mother
- Chris Tashima as The Umpire
(In order of appearance)
- Dean Komure as Spectator
- Lisa Joe as Frances ("National AnthemThe Star-Spangled Banner"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
" singer) - Diana Toshiko as Betty
- Sarah Chang as Sadie
- Julie Tofukuji as Mimi
- Ulysses Lee as Tad
- Jonathan Okui as Satch
- Gina HiraizumiGina HiraizumiGina Hiraizumi is an American actress and singer. Her father is a third generation Japanese American and her mother is from Japan. She is Yonsei or part of the fourth generation Nikkei....
as Rose
Awards
(partial list)- Emmy Nomination - 35th Northern California Emmy Awards
- CINECINECINE is a consortium formulated to depict American life and thought realistically for a global audience. CINE recognizes and fosters the highest quality of non-theatrical film and video production through its semi-annual film competitions....
Golden Eagle - Platinum Best of Show - Aurora Awards
- Accolade Award of Excellence, Short Film
- Best Short - Stony Brook Film FestivalStony Brook Film FestivalThe Stony Brook Film Festival, produced by Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University, presents a program of new, independent films every summer since 1996. Features and short films from the U.S. and around the world are screened over ten days at Staller Center, which has been the venue...
- Best Narrative Short - Tambay Film & Video Festival
- "Slate" Award, Best Short - California Independent Film Festival
- Best Short Film - Houston Multicultural Independent Film Festival
- Gold / 1st Prize - Crested Butte Reel Fest
- Audience Award, Best Drama - Marco Island Film Festival
Trivia
- Performance artist Dan KwongDan KwongDan Kwong is an American performance artist, writer, teacher and visual artist. He has been presenting his solo performances since 1989, often drawing upon his own life experiences to explore personal, historical and social issues. He is of mixed Asian American heritage...
, who is also a baseball player, coached lead actor Derek Mio in old-style pitching form. - Lisa Joe's character, "Frances" (who sings the National Anthem at the ballgame and later conducts a choir rehearsal), was named in honor of Joe's mother, Frances Sue Okabe, a well known Nisei singer and music teacher. Okabe was interned at the Minidoka internment campJapanese American internmentJapanese-American internment was the relocation and internment by the United States government in 1942 of approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese who lived along the Pacific coast of the United States to camps called "War Relocation Camps," in the wake of Imperial Japan's attack on...
as a teenager, where she was known for her singing. Joe provided the singing voice on the soundtrackSoundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
as well, which was recorded on Mother's DayMother's DayMother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
just after her mother died from cancer. - During one of the montage sequences of "camp life," there is a painter standing by an easel, who is portrayed by playwright Tim Toyama, who stepped in at the last moment when the person cast to play the part didn't show up for filming.
- The scene depicting the choir rehearsal has un-credited cameo appearanceCameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s by noted actors Tamlyn TomitaTamlyn TomitaTamlyn Naomi Tomita is an actress, who has appeared in many Hollywood films and television series.-Early life:Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita. Her father then later became a Los Angeles Police Officer, rising to the rank of sergeant. He succumbed to cancer in...
, Emily KurodaEmily KurodaEmily Kuroda is best known for her role as Mrs. Kim on TV's Gilmore Girls, but she has had a long career on stage and screen and is a veteran of East West Players, Los Angeles' premier Asian American theater group.-Life and career:...
, Sab ShimonoSab ShimonoSab Shimono is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows in character roles.-Career:An accomplished stage actor, he has appeared on Broadway and in regional theaters including San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theatre...
and Greg WatanabeGreg WatanabeGreg Watanabe is an American actor who played Isaac on the MyNetworkTV serial Watch Over Me. He appears in the independent films, Life Tastes Good, Only the Brave and Americanese. He is a founding member of the Asian American sketch comedy troupe,...
who are friends of the director.
External links
- Day of Independence featured in "Reel Stories" by Philip W. ChungPhilip W. ChungPhilip W. Chung is a Korean American playwright, co-founder of Los Angeles-based Lodestone Theatre Ensemble and its current co-artistic director.- Career :...
in AsianWeekAsianWeekAsianWeek was a widely circulated publication of Asian American news, across all Asian ethnic groups, providing coverage of Asian-American issues such as the killing of Vincent Chin, Asian American college admissions, and quotas on Chinese students in competitive San Francisco examination schools...
- 11/28/03 - Coverage of PBS broadcast in Honolulu Star-BulletinHonolulu Star-BulletinThe Honolulu Star-Bulletin was a daily newspaper based in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the second largest daily newspaper in the state of Hawaii...