2010.4 April Archive

  • Where the film succeeds best is drawing us into the world of the children, and seeing this life and death scenario through their eyes. The adults quickly become secondary, and indeed, the principal deflects the concerns of parents and other staff members, asking them to trust the students and their teacher, who himself keeps to the periphery as much as possible.

    REVIEW: School Days With A Pig

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | 2 Comments
    Where the film succeeds best is drawing us into the world of the children, and seeing this life and death scenario through their eyes. The adults quickly become secondary, and indeed, the principal deflects the concerns of parents and other staff members, asking them to trust the students and their teacher, who himself keeps to the periphery as much as possible.

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  • I’m always grateful to Jesse for his guidance and inspiration in my filmmaking life. Our relationship changed over the years, notably when I shifted my focus to being a producer instead of a filmmaker. I suspect my decision was bittersweet for Jesse, since it was clear I had taken his beliefs in mentorship and our collective creative future to heart. But it was also true that Jesse himself never gave up on the practice of actually making films, regardless whatever else he was doing as a “job”, right to the very end. I, on the other hand, now only make films vicariously, through the choices of filmmakers and films I produce and support.

    JESSE NISHIHATA and Ancestral Memory

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    I’m always grateful to Jesse for his guidance and inspiration in my filmmaking life. Our relationship changed over the years, notably when I shifted my focus to being a producer instead of a filmmaker. I suspect my decision was bittersweet for Jesse, since it was clear I had taken his beliefs in mentorship and our collective creative future to heart. But it was also true that Jesse himself never gave up on the practice of actually making films, regardless whatever else he was doing as a “job”, right to the very end. I, on the other hand, now only make films vicariously, through the choices of filmmakers and films I produce and support.

    Continue Reading...

  • For twenty five years during and after the war years, the Japanese cemetery in Cumberland was left unattended and it returned to it natural forest-like state. Also, there was vandalism. In the 1960s, Sensei S. K. Ikuta who was the resident Sensei of the Vancouver Buddhist Temple, with the assistance of the Vancouver JCCA, had a service club in Comox Valley gather the scattered head stones and place them in a memorial monument. Pre-Second World War deceased in the Comox Valley totaled one hundred ninety eight. Only a small number of head stones are mounted in the monument.

    Head Stone Mystery

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    For twenty five years during and after the war years, the Japanese cemetery in Cumberland was left unattended and it returned to it natural forest-like state. Also, there was vandalism. In the 1960s, Sensei S. K. Ikuta who was the resident Sensei of the Vancouver Buddhist Temple, with the assistance of the Vancouver JCCA, had a service club in Comox Valley gather the scattered head stones and place them in a memorial monument. Pre-Second World War deceased in the Comox Valley totaled one hundred ninety eight. Only a small number of head stones are mounted in the monument.

    Continue Reading...

  • Hi Everyone! Well it’s been an amazing February and March in Vancouver with the World descending upon Vancouver and Whistler for the Olympics and the Paralympics. To me it has...

    President’s Message

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    Hi Everyone! Well it’s been an amazing February and March in Vancouver with the World descending upon Vancouver and Whistler for the Olympics and the Paralympics. To me it has...

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  • On Friday January 15, several dozen people gathered at the Heiwa Garden project on Salt Spring Island for the unveiling of interpretive panels depicting the island’s Japanese Canadian heritage and...

    Heiwa Garden Update

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    On Friday January 15, several dozen people gathered at the Heiwa Garden project on Salt Spring Island for the unveiling of interpretive panels depicting the island’s Japanese Canadian heritage and...

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  • by Shoko Hata The Peace Philosophy Centre, established and directed by Satoko Norimatsu in Vancouver, holds a monthly study group called the Peace Philosophy Salon. Based on the principle of...

    March 20th Peace Philosophy Salon Report: Foreigners in Japan

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    by Shoko Hata The Peace Philosophy Centre, established and directed by Satoko Norimatsu in Vancouver, holds a monthly study group called the Peace Philosophy Salon. Based on the principle of...

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  • For an old timer still more used to windows one had to roll up and down manually, the array of electrically controlled mechanisms from seat position and height adjustments, seat warmers, and mirrors and the top quality audio system with 6 disc CD player turned out to be a novelty, but not a must. How many CDs can one listen to during a 30-minute ride? How often does one adjust seats? All these little amenities that people who live in big houses with electronic controls and indoor swimming pools might take for granted were in fact superfluous as far as our lifestyle was concerned.

    Egalitarian Canada Kinder to Consumers Than Japan?

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    For an old timer still more used to windows one had to roll up and down manually, the array of electrically controlled mechanisms from seat position and height adjustments, seat warmers, and mirrors and the top quality audio system with 6 disc CD player turned out to be a novelty, but not a must. How many CDs can one listen to during a 30-minute ride? How often does one adjust seats? All these little amenities that people who live in big houses with electronic controls and indoor swimming pools might take for granted were in fact superfluous as far as our lifestyle was concerned.

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  • I was nine years old when I first became aware of “identity” as a concept. I remember the circumstances to this day. I was in bed one night while my...

    a question of identity

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    I was nine years old when I first became aware of “identity” as a concept. I remember the circumstances to this day. I was in bed one night while my...

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  • He was quiet and often went to see his friends. At that time, he was in the process of writing Mother Talk. He went to Denman Island to see Mastuki Masutani who collaborated with Roy as a translator. The organizer of the festival said, “You are so lucky to stay with him. He is a one of the greatest Japanese Canadian artists in Vancouver.” But for me, coming from out of town, he was just the same as anybody, he didn’t have an air of importance or anything like that. Thinking back to those days, I really admire him as a real artist.

    Identity/Ancestral Memory

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    He was quiet and often went to see his friends. At that time, he was in the process of writing Mother Talk. He went to Denman Island to see Mastuki Masutani who collaborated with Roy as a translator. The organizer of the festival said, “You are so lucky to stay with him. He is a one of the greatest Japanese Canadian artists in Vancouver.” But for me, coming from out of town, he was just the same as anybody, he didn’t have an air of importance or anything like that. Thinking back to those days, I really admire him as a real artist.

    Continue Reading...

  • Congratulations to Canada for all the “Gold” in the Olympic and to the Paralympics! What a thrill and national pride! Way to go, Canada! We missed all the Olympic fervor due to our South America Cruise and got delayed coming home due to Santiago, Chile ‘s earthquake. Spring is here and here are two recipes sent in by Alice Bradley -- so lemony and refreshingly good! Thanks, Alice!

    Community Kitchen

    Posted on April 7, 2010 | No Comments
    Congratulations to Canada for all the “Gold” in the Olympic and to the Paralympics! What a thrill and national pride! Way to go, Canada! We missed all the Olympic fervor due to our South America Cruise and got delayed coming home due to Santiago, Chile ‘s earthquake. Spring is here and here are two recipes sent in by Alice Bradley -- so lemony and refreshingly good! Thanks, Alice!

    Continue Reading...