The creators of VISAS AND VIRTUE (1997 Academy Award® winner, Best Live Action Short Film) have embarked on a new journey DAY OF INDEPENDENCE. This dramatic short film, set in a Japanese American internment camp during World War II, explores one family's experience and examines the sacrifices and triumphs of those who endured and survived through perseverance, courage, and the all-American game of baseball.

During World War II, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, ordering the forced removal and incarceration of all people of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast. These people, most of whom were American citizens, were taken from their homes and sent to "relocation" camps in desolate, isolated areas. These camps were surrounded by barbed-wire and guard towers. There were no charges, there was no due process. The internment of 120,000 innocent people was a dark moment in the history of this country.

This is the backdrop for Day of Independence, a tender and heroic story of a Japanese American family surviving the tragic circumstances surrounding internment. Within this context, this short film also examines the healing powers of baseball.

Director: Chris Tashima

Day of Independence Home: www.cedargroveproductions.com

Back to Film

Back to Schedule