Omoiyari: A Song Film Screening @Central

by Kishi Bashi

Violinist and songwriter Kaoru Ishibashi travels on a musical journey to understand WWII era Japanese Incarceration, assimilation, and what it means to be a minority in America today.

Join us for a screening of the documentary Omoiyari: A Song Film by Kishi Bashi. This event is part of a series of programs hosted by the library centered on the Japanese-American experience: see related events here.

Central Library Community Meeting Room, 3rd floor

Screening starts at 5:30pm, runtime: 93 minutes (1 hour 33 minutes).

What is omoiyari? "A Japanese word that means to have sympathy and compassion towards another person. A universal concept in human interaction that is required for a sustainable society. It is the bedrock of the film.

Kishi Bashi explores how empathy and the lack of it has played key roles in our modern quest for social equality."

About the film: "When a media interview links the muslim ban and the immigration crisis at the USA-Mexico border with the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during WWII, Ishibashi goes on a journey to learn about this history and its relevance. Along the way, he improvises and writes music in an effort to better understand his own identity as a bi-cultural American. Using never before seen archival footage from the camps, mixed with breathtaking visual storytelling, Kaoru weaves a story using history, music and current events to create a portrait of America from the perspective of someone caught between two worlds."

More info at: https://www.omoiyarisongfilm.com

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