History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige
1991 American film
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History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige is a 1991 documentary film by Rea Tajiri. In her film, Tajiri recalls her family's experience of the American internment of the Japanese during World War II.[2][3][4]
| History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Rea Tajiri |
| Written by | Rea Tajiri |
| Produced by | Rea Tajiri[1] |
| Starring | Noel Shaw and Sokhi Wagner |
| Cinematography | George, Rea Tajiri [1] |
| Edited by | Rea Tajiri, Robert Burden |
| Music by | Harry Warren, Al Dubin, Warner Bros. |
Production company | Akiko Productions |
| Distributed by | Women Make Movies, Electronic Arts Intermix, Video Data Bank |
Release date |
|
Running time | 32 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $25,000.00 [1] |
History and Memory explores the story beyond the recorded history of the internment of the Japanese and Japanese Americans.[5] The film premiered at the 1991 Whitney Biennial exhibition, and has since been screened over 250 times.[1]
The Film
Tajiri presents collective history from mainstream mediums, whilst presenting her own history through the memory of real people.[6][7] To create her own personal history, Tajiri utilizes memory through her family members' experiences, along with photographs and 8mm footage.[5] She also uses mainstream mediums such as, newsreels, Hollywood feature film, and government propaganda.[8]
Caryn James, wrote in The New York Times that "Tajiri approaches her subject like a poet. She weaves together images and allows them to enrich one another in skewed and subtle ways as their resonances slowly emerge."[citation needed]
Awards
- 1991: Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Documentary Association (Whitney Biennial, World Premiere)[1][8]
- 1992: Special Jury Prize: "New Visions Category" (San Francisco International Film Festival)[1][8]
- 1992: Best Experimental Video (Atlanta Film and Video Festival)
- Named one of the Top 100 American Films by Women Directors[9][1][8]