RIOT IN VANCOUVER SHORT FILM SCREENINGS – Citizenship Ltd (1947)

Curator: Kamala Todd

By Donation: 0-5$

A lot of gains were made in 1947, including voting rights for Canadians of Chinese and Indian descent, and the eradication of many race-based legislations and social exclusions. Hard fought victories worth celebrating for sure. But do voting rights mean equality? This program explores the complexities of citizenship and belonging; from Aboriginal people’s struggles with colonial policies, to Japanese-Canadians experiences of internment, to Chinese-Canadian veterans fighting for recognition.

Minoru: Memory of Exile, 15 min, Michael Fukushima,
This film is the story of Minoru Fukushima, born in Canada but labeled an enemy during WWII, interned and deported to Japan, a place he knew only by name.

X-Patriotism, 6 min, Stephen Foster
This experimental video plays with symbols of Canada layered over elements of the Canadian warship “HMCS Haida”, named and used in an era of enforced assimilation of Aboriginal people.

Unwanted Soldiers, 49 min, Jari Osborne
This film explores the important and little known history of WWII Chinese veterans’ hundreds of Chinese Canadians served their country during WWII, even though they had no voting rights, and they had many race-based limitations on their lives.

A Fine Line, 5min, Cherie Valentina Stocken
This video installation juxtaposes images of an Aboriginal man and colonial British images, calling into question our sense of Canadian culture.

Images of the First Hundred Years, 11min, Rick Shiomi/Powell Street Revue
Using photographs from the Japanese-Canadian Centennial Project, this film explores the cultural heritage of Canada’s Japanese community amid racism, including internment and the complete dismantling of communities.

Total: 86 minutes