An American Story: Norman Mineta and His Legacy
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MORE ABOUT FILM: http://minetalegacyproject.com/
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Saturday, October 27, 2018
3:00 PM Bright Family Screening Room, The Paramount Center 559 Washington Street, Boston MA (T: Park Street, Downtown Crossing, or Boylston) 60 Mins | Documentary | Japanese-American Directed by Dianne Fukami Followed by a Q&A with Dianne Fukami The son of immigrants and incarcerated as a child because of his Japanese ancestry, Norman Mineta became a mayor, a 10-term Member of Congress, and served in two presidential cabinets under a Democrat and Republican president. In this era of divisiveness, partisan politics, xenophobia, and anti-immigrant sentiment, Secretary Mineta’s story is a reminder of the importance of advocating for the under-represented and bringing their voices to the table, which includes ethnic minorities, people of various sexual orientations or people with disabilities. In a poignant interview, Mineta explains that the American flag pin he always wear on his lapel is a silent way of informing strangers that despite the color of his skin, he is an American. The film: traces the family’s roots to Japan and their home in San Jose, CA where Mineta began his political career; follows him to Heart Mountain, Wyoming for the annual reunion, where he and 10,000 other Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II; examines his role during 9/11 when he was Secretary of Transportation; and explores his current work with youth and his determination to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Japan. Interviews include: former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, former Congressman Barney Frank, and former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson, a conservative Republican who is one of Mineta’s oldest and dearest friends despite political differences. Director's Bio: Fukami has produced, directed, and written more than a half-dozen documentaries on the Asian-American experience (mostly on Japanese-American history) which were broadcast on PBS stations throughout the U.S. Separate Lives, Broken Dreams, about the Chinese Exclusion Act, was nominated for a national Emmy Award; Starting Over: Japanese Americans After the War has received scholarly citations for its first-person anecdotes. Her most recent documentary, Stories From Tohoku, was showcased at CAAMFest in 2014 (formerly the San Francisco Asian International Film Festival) and screened at film festivals in New York and Los Angeles. The newly-released "An American Story: Norman Mineta and His Legacy" made its world premiere at CAAMFest36 in San Francisco and selected as the festival's Opening Film. Co-presented by:
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