A large audience turned out at the legendary Glen Glenn Sound Studios theater in Hollywood on Dec. 5, for a screening of the locally produced short film “The Unreachable Star.”
The 15-minute Japanese American story, currently amid an Oscar run in the Live Action Short Film category, tells the tale of a shy and cautious boy and his fearless younger sister, who wander through an open field while playing pretend and searching for adventure after being inspired by the tales of Don Quixote.
The pair come upon a small encampment of chickens and rabbits, and run into trouble while trying to free them. After fleeing the scene, they return to their home – in a surprising location. The protagonists come to grips with the reality of their environment and embark upon one last act of defiance.
Writer and executive producer Kelsey Kawana based the film on a story by her grandfather, and told through the memories of the younger sister as she reflected upon her time in a wartime concentration camp.
Kawana said working with director Sharon S. Park was “a wonderful experience, and my first foray into the world of film making. From the beginning, we knew we wanted the story – however personal – to address the universal themes of childhood, coming-of-age, and of learning to recognize injustice.”
The cast includes Riley Hashimoto, Pria Joo, Mia Ando, Davis Cameron and Tamlyn Tomita. The film was produced by Park, Beau Sia and Traci Kato-Kiriyama.
The narrative voice of the younger sister is provided by veteran actor Karen Huie, who said her participation was like channeling stories of Nisei women such as Wakako Yamauchi, Hisaye Yamamoto and Momoko Iko, who wrote about their experiences during the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans.
“Narrating was like resurrecting Wakako and Hisaye’s voices through Kelsey’s poetic narration,” Huie told The Rafu. “It’s heartwarming to be part of a project created by a Yonsei sharing the story of her grandfather in camp. It bolsters the promise that the tragedy of the internees will not be forgotten.”