A new documentary about the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans, “And Then They Came for Us,” will have its Los Angeles premiere on Monday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. at the Downtown Independent Theater, 251 S. Main St.
Filmmakers Abby Ginzberg and Ken Schneider will be joined by Ahilan Arulanantham, legal director of ACLU of Southern California, Bruce Tsurutani, who is featured in the film, and moderator Marya Bangee for the post-screening discussion.
The film will be introduced by Simon Kilmurry, executive director of the International Documentary Association.
Seventy-five years ago, Executive Order 9066 paved the way to the profound violation of constitutional rights that resulted in the forced incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans. Featuring George Takei and many others who were incarcerated, as well as newly rediscovered photographs of Dorothea Lange, “And Then They Came for Us” brings history into the present, retelling this difficult story and following Japanese American activists as they speak out against the Muslim registry and travel ban.
“Knowing our history is the first step to ensuring we do not repeat it,” event organizers said. “‘And Then They Came for Us’ is a cautionary and inspiring tale for these dark times.”
“I’ve seen pretty much every film on the Japanese American incarceration experience in recent years, and this was definitely one of the most powerful and informative,” said Kenji Taguma, president of the Nichi Bei Foundation. “Moreover, the film deftly related the Japanese American experience to today’s issues of civil liberties infringement, making it a must-see film for these difficult times.”
Parking is available directly across the street from the theater.
General admission is $25. To reserve tickets online, go to www.eventbrite.com. For more information on the film, visit www.thentheycamedoc.com.
The media sponsor of the event is Capital & Main. Co-sponsors are:
ACLU of Southern California
Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Council on American-Islamic Relations, Greater Los Angeles Area
Define American
Equal Justice Society
Facing History and Ourselves
Fred T. Korematsu Institute
Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute
Japanese American Bar Association
Japanese American National Museum
Japanese American Citizens League
Jonathan Logan Family Foundation
Little Tokyo Historical Society
Manzanar Committee
Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress
Nikkei Progressives
One Justice
SILA Consulting
Vigilant Love Coalition