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Table of Contents
WINGS OF DEFEAT Screenings
Risa Morimoto JASON SOEDA: Aloha, Risa. It's such an honor to meet you. Tell me, are you excited about screening WINGS OF DEFEAT in Hawaii? RISA MORIMOTO: I am so excited and honored to have the film screen in Hawaii. Clearly, WWII has a significant meaning in Hawaii and with a huge Japanese population, it will hopefully resonate even more. We hope to bring some greater understanding and clarity to what was happening to many of these Japanese soldiers during that time. JS: Tell me about the origins of WINGS OF DEFEAT. Was this a project you've had in mind for a very long time? RM: In 2005, I discovered my uncle trained to be a Kamikaze. Stunned that my own uncle would have been a participant in such an unthinkable act and then at my own ignorance that I still believed these one-dimensional stereotypes as crazy fanatics, I decided that it was time to tell the true story of who these men were. My uncle unfortunately passed away 20 years ago but I was able to meet other survivors who willingly shared their experiences. It has been an incredible journey for me not only as a filmmaker but also personally. JS: Obviously, this is a highly personal film for you. Was this is a cathartic experience for you and your family? RM: I think it ultimately brought our family closer together. We had conversations that we never had before. It helped me to understand what my family went through during the war. I wish I could have spoken to my uncle directly, but somehow I think perhaps he was watching over me through the process. :) JS: This documentary makes me wonder how many of us Japanese-Americans in Hawaii are related to kamikaze pilots and don't even know it. It's a shame when people allow their histories to fade away. Is this one of the reasons you got involved in documentary filmmaking, to preserve your past? RM: Absolutely. I have always had an interest in history but when it becomes personal history as well, it is more significant. I am sure there are many Japanese-Americans in Hawaii that have strong ties to someone who fought in WWII. I think that one of the most satisfying elements of making this film were the number of emails and personal messages I received in Japan saying that they went home and talked with their parents, their grandparents, finding out what happened to them during the war. JS: WINGS OF DEFEAT sheds light on an overlooked and neglected part of history. What kind of feedback have you received from Japanese-American community? How about non-Japanese audiences in the U.S.? RM: Many of the Japanese-Americans who have seen the film clearly have a closer connection with the subject matter, more than likely they have a family member or relative who also served in the Japanese military. Audiences in general have been very surprised to hear the truth from these survivors. Like me, they never really questioned who these men were. It's interesting that over the years since the end of the war, the reputation and image of the Japanese and of Japan has changed drastically but that of the Kamikaze has pretty much stayed the same. When audiences can relate to whom they thought would initially be "unrelatable," it makes one question how we view our "enemies" today. JS: What was your biggest challenge during the making of this film? RM: Editing and crafting the film I think was one of the most challenging aspects. It is multilayered and very dense - we had to tell the story of the four former Kamikaze, the history of the war, what was happening in Japan, what was happening to Japanese civilians, plus my journey to discover what happened to my uncle. So creating something that would be cohesive, emotional and interesting was probably one of the most challenging aspects. Of course there are other production war stories of losing the camera (twice!) but then finding it again ... JS: What would you like people to take away from your film? RM: Audience members take away different elements from the film ... but for me, it was to ask the question, "How do we define 'the enemy?'" With media ever so present in our lives, it is important not to take simple headlines as truth. We need to do our own research and then create our opinions. In addition, through the making of this film and as American citizens who are currently fighting in a war for similar reasons, we have grappled with trying to answer the question of the responsibility a government and military has to its people and soldiers. JS: What's next for you, Risa? RM: Just to keep life interesting, I am actually at the beginning stages of a narrative fiction film. This one will be about the sculptor and artist, Isamu Noguchi. My father is a sculptor and was a colleague of Noguchi's so I am very excited to share his story with the world.
Just For Fun: HIFF Survey
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