SPECIAL SCREENING OF STOLEN MEMORIES AND BREAKING THE SILENCE AT ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

WHEN: TUESDAY MAY 29TH, 2012, 6 PM UNTIL 8 PM

WHERE: IRVING K. BARBER LEARNING CENTRE, DODSON ROOM, ROOM 302

      1961 EAST MALL, UBC, VANCOUVER, BC

In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, please join us for a special screening of these two documentaries written and directed by Kagan Goh and produced by Imtiaz Popat and Kagan Goh. STOLEN MEMORIES, is a documentary about filmmaker Kagan Goh’s personal quest to return a photo album that was lost by a Japanese Canadian family during the Japanese internment. Kagan, aided by Mary Seki, his 70-year old detective sidekick, embarked upon a quest to find the rightful owners, find out what happened to them and return their lost photo album to them. Documenting the search as well as redressing the wrongs of the past is a symbolic “homecoming” – coming home in terms of returning to a place of self-acceptance, belonging, wholeness and healing. STOLEN MEMORIES reflects deeply rooted issues of prejudice which have affected the Japanese Canadian community throughout the last one hundred years, experienced not just by the family but by the Japanese Canadians who helped in the quest to return the ‘stolen’ photo album. The extraordinary story is a microcosm within the macrocosm of the Japanese Canadian legacy.  “It’s a very effective way of touching on an important common feature of the internment – loss of much family material due to forced relocation. The personal touch seems a good idea too, as many such documentaries have been a bit distant from the victims.”  – Stan Fukawa, former president of the Japanese Canadian National Nikkei Museum.  44 mins Coming out of STOLEN MEMORIES, BREAKING THE SILENCE is a short documentary about Akihide John Otsuji, a Japanese Canadian who was unjustly imprisoned for defying a racist law called the Dispersal Campaign. After the Japanese internment, Japanese-Canadians were given the choice to either repatriate to Japan or move east of the Rockies. They were not allowed to return to the West Coast. Aki returned to his hometown in Vancouver and was promptly imprisoned and labeled a criminal by the Canadian government. Mary Seki, his sister, considers him to be a hero because it takes courage to defy an unjust racist law. Breaking the Silence is about Mary Seki's quest to clear her brother's name and redress the wrongs of the past.  27 mins. Click here to reserve a seat as there is limited capacity in the hall.  www.eventbrite.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stolen-Memories/111821878854213 http://www.ikebarberlearningcentre.ubc.ca/stolen-memories-breaking-the-silence-film-screenings-at-ikblc-may-29-2012

Breaking the Silence Premieres @ Wide Angle Media Festival

Coming out of Stolen Memories, Breaking the Silence is a short documentary written and directed by Kagan Goh and produced by Imtiaz Popat and Kagan Goh will be having its World Premiere at the Wide Angle Media Festival at the Roundhouse Community Centre - 181 Roundhouse Mews - in Vancouver on March 25th at 7 pm.

This documentary is about Akihide John Otsuji, a Japanese Canadian who was unjustly imprisoned for defying a racist law called the Dispersal Campaign. After the Japanese internment, Japanese-Canadians were given the choice to either repatriate to Japan or move east of the Rockies. They were not allowed to return to the West Coast. Aki returned to his hometown in Vancouver and was promptly imprisoned and labeled a criminal by the Canadian government. Mary Seki considers him to be a hero. “Breaking the Silence” is about Mary Seki’s quest to clear her brother’s name.

www.wideanglemedia.ca

W2 MEDIA CAFE SCREENING AND PRESENTATION A SUCCESS

Kagan Goh thanking everyone who attended the W2 Media Cafe World Television Premiere of Stolen Memories. The event was a huge success.  W2 was filled to maximum capacity with 300 people in attendance. The evening kicked off literally with a Big Bang! with the striking of the drum by the Chibi taiko group whose drumming echoed and resounded throughout the atrium of the building, loud enough to wake up the gods and signal the start of the night's proceedings. Then we had speeches by Kirsten McAllister and Judy Hanazawa, 2 leaders of the Japanese Canadian community who spoke eloquently about the film's significance to the symbolic healing with the Japanese Canadian legacy. Hadani Ditmars, a journalist whose article for the Courier newspaper written in 1999 was instrumental in helping me find the owners of the lost photo album, said a few poignant words about her involvement in the quest and film. I then read a poem entitled "The Enduring Flame" about the importance of how happy memories sustain us during difficult times and the enduring nature of love. I then presented a new photo album to the Kamitakahara family (the rightful owners of the lost photo album) as a symbolic gesture of a new beginning of a new generation. Once the screening was over, Imtiaz Popat my producer and I took the stage with the filmmakers who helped make the film for a Q & A (Joe Fitzpatrick the editor, Kirk Moses assistant editor and post production supervisor, Ralph Perez camera operator, Bo Myers camera and d.o.p. in attendance with Gary Delang camera operator). We recieved a standing ovation from the audience.

All in all, the night was an overwhelming success and exceeded our wildest expectations. Thank you for your support in making the celebration of this momentous occasion - the culmination of the completion of a 15 year long project a success.

WORLD TELEVISION PREMIERE OF “STOLEN MEMORIES”

 15 years in the making, Stolen Memories will have its world premiere television broadcast live on OMNI in BC, Alberta and on OMNI 2 in Ontario on March 4th at 9 pm local time. You can also watch it on OMNI 2 on Telus TV as well Bell TV in BC and Alberta at 9 pm EST. The Japanese subtitled version will be broadcast in on OMNI 2 Ontario on March 11 at 9pm. 

Also:

W2 Media Cafe (111 West Hastings) presents the World Television Premiere of Stolen Memories on March 4th at 7.30 pm.

There will be a special presentation with guest speakers, including Kirsten McAllister and Judy Hanazawa talking about the film’s significance and impact on the Japanese Canadian community. The filmmakers will be present, including writer/producer/director Kagan Goh and producer Imtiaz Popat who will be doing a Q & A. Kagan Goh will be presenting a new photo album to the Kamitakahara family (the owners of the lost photo album) as a symbolic gesture of a new beginning for a new generation. Food and refreshments will be served. 

Then stay for the celebration  with dance music  by DJ MTS (a.k.a Imtiaz Popat) of CO-OP Radio CFRO 102.7 FM. Admission is by donation. Admission is by donation. 

FILM’S SYNOPSIS:
STOLEN MEMORIES is a detective story about filmmaker Kagan Goh’s personal quest to return a photo album that was lost by a Japanese Canadian family during the Japanese internment. Kagan, aided by Mary Seki, his 70-year old detective sidekick, embarked upon a quest to find the rightful owners, find out what happened to them and return their lost photo album to them. Documenting the search as well as redressing the wrongs of the past is a symbolic “homecoming” – coming home in terms of returning to a place of self-acceptance, belonging, wholeness and healing.
STOLEN MEMORIES reflects deeply rooted issues of prejudice which have affected the Japanese Canadian community throughout the last one hundred years, experienced not just by the family but by the Japanese Canadians who helped in the quest to return the ‘stolen’ photo album. The extraordinary story is a microcosm within the macrocosm of the Japanese Canadian legacy. 
“It’s a very effective way of touching on an important common feature of the internment – loss of much family material due to forced relocation. The personal touch seems a good idea too, as many such documentaries have been a bit distant from the victims.” – Stan Fukawa, former president of the Japanese Canadian National Nikkei Museum.

For more information or for interviews please call

Imtiaz Popat 604 715-4816 or Kagan Goh 778 847-8336  

PRESSS KIT AVAILABLE  AT THE FILM WEBSITE

WHERE: W2 MEDIA CENTER – 111 WEST HASTINGS

WHEN: MARCH 4TH

• DOORS OPEN FOR OPENING RECEPTION AT 7.30PM
• FOOD AND REFESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED
• SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY GUEST SPEAKERS AT 8PM
• KAGAN GOH PRESENTING NEW ALBUM TO KAMITAKAHARA FAMILY AT 8.30PM
• SCREENING AT 9PM
• Q & A WITH FILMMAKERS AT 10PM


COST: SUGGESTED DONATION: $10
NO ONE WILL BE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS

WWW.STOLENMEMORIESMOVIE.CO​M

We're on the Commentary!

Thanks to Joseph Planta for having us on his podcast.  You can listen to it here: http://thecommentary.ca/ontheline/718-kagan-goh/