Image Source: National Archives
On February 20, 1942, the Munemitsu family and 120,000 other Japanese Americans were ordered to leave their homes and be sent to incarceration camps. Although they had done nothing wrong, the FBI arrested their father unexpectedly, and the rest of their family was sent to the Poston Incarceration Camp in early 1942. However, Aki and Kazi, sick with Chicken Pox before leaving, were separated from their family and were forced to stay at a hospital. Utilizing a unique animation style that evokes the hand-made toys and objects made in the camp paired with archival materials and footage from the historic location of the camp, the film explores the dichotomy between the innocence of a child's perspective and the traumatic injustice surrounding them.
Director: Brendan Bubion
Featuring: Aki Nakauchi and Kazi Doi
Creative Direction and Animation by: Mengxi Yang
Inspired by the Book, "The Kindness of Color" by Janice Munemitsu
Original Score by: Yurun Wu and Jade Jiaxue
Cinematography: Daniel McCullum
Sound Mixing: Paul Hollman
Sound Design: Aidan Neuner
Animation Compositing: Zhiqiu "Roxy" Jin
Best Student Film:
2023 Thin Line Fest
Official Selection:
2023 RiverRun International Film Festival
2023 Newport Beach Film Festival
2023 Northwest Fest International Documentary Film Festival
