{"id":150489,"date":"2021-10-26T12:19:42","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T22:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=150489"},"modified":"2021-10-26T15:56:38","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T01:56:38","slug":"atomic-bomb-pearl-harbor-survivors-leeward-cc-documentary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2021\/10\/26\/atomic-bomb-pearl-harbor-survivors-leeward-cc-documentary\/","title":{"rendered":"Atomic bomb, Pearl Harbor survivors meet in Leeward <abbr>CC<\/abbr> alum\u2019s documentary"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><div class=\"responsive-video-wrap-post\"><figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe  id=\"_ytid_53379\"  width=\"620\" height=\"349\"  data-origwidth=\"620\" data-origheight=\"349\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/D2a7z82x1pQ?enablejsapi=1&origin=https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu&rel=0&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"Sakura and Pearls PREMIERE\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n<p>Japanese atomic bomb survivors and American Pearl Harbor survivors come face to face in a new documentary by a former <a href=\"http:\/\/leeward.hawaii.edu\">Leeward Community College<\/a> student. Local writer and director, <strong>G. &ldquo;Kamana&rdquo; Hunter<\/strong>\u2019s revealing documentary, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/gkhunter.com\/\">Sakura &#38; Pearls: Healing from World War <abbr title=\"2\">II<\/abbr><\/a><\/em>, is scheduled to premiere nationally on New Mexico <abbr>PBS<\/abbr> on October 28 (7 p.m. <abbr>MDT<\/abbr>\/3 p.m. <abbr>HST<\/abbr>), and will stream via the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/pbs-video-app\/\"><abbr>PBS<\/abbr> video app<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_150534\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-150534\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-hyland-hunter-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"Two men\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-150534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-hyland-hunter-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-hyland-hunter-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-hyland-hunter.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-150534\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Everett Hyland with Kamana Hunter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The documentary offers rare, uncensored testimony and dialogue between former enemies who still bear physical and emotional wounds decades after the war. Hunter arranged this meeting at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center on <span aria-label=\"Oahu\">O&#699;ahu<\/span> as part of the process of remembrance, healing and forgiveness. Everett Hyland, a Pearl Harbor Visitor Center educator and Pearl Harbor survivor featured in the film passed away six weeks after the meeting, which made his interview his last testament to the world.<\/p>\n<p>Hunter\u2019s inspiration for <em>Sakura &#38; Pearls: Healing from World War <abbr title=\"2\">II<\/abbr><\/em>, which he wrote and directed, came from historic meetings during memorial services in 2016 between former U.S. President Barack Obama and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to commemorate World War <abbr title=\"2\">II<\/abbr>. He was also inspired during his first trip to Japan in 2017 where he was able to visit the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park and meet his first hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor), Okihiro Terao.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_150536\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-150536\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-mori-obama-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"Hands holding a photograph\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-150536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-mori-obama-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-mori-obama-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-mori-obama.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-150536\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Japanese atomic bomb survivor Mori-san holding a picture of him hugging former U.S. President, Barack Obama<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;Terao-san agreed to let me film an interview when I came back to Japan. There was only one problem. I knew almost nothing about capturing video,&rdquo; Hunter said.<\/p>\n<p>This led him to enroll in a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.leeward.hawaii.edu\/dmed\">Digital Media Certificate<\/a> program at Leeward <abbr title=\"Community College\">CC<\/abbr>. Among his classes were Film Analysis &#38; Storytelling (<abbr>DMED<\/abbr> 150) and Introduction to Digital Video (<abbr>DMED<\/abbr> 131), where he developed foundational knowledge and skills that prepared him to put together a feature length documentary.<\/p>\n<p>Assistant Professor <strong>Irwin Yamamoto<\/strong>, was the first teacher Hunter told about his dream to bring together Japanese atomic bomb survivors and U.S. Pearl Harbor survivors.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Kamana was a unique individual who was driven to spread his message of peace, hope and healing,&rdquo; Yamamoto said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_150535\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-150535\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-lee-j-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"Two men holding a large picture\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-150535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-lee-j-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-lee-j-130x73.jpg 130w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-lee-j.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-150535\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jimmy Lee with Irwin Yamamoto<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As an instrumental part of Hunter\u2019s filmmaking journey, providing guidance and support over the years, Yamamoto also introduced him to Pearl Harbor survivor Jimmy Lee, who became one of four central elders featured in the documentary (Lee passed away months after filming the documentary).<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I&#8217;m particularly grateful to Irwin who even helped me choose the right camera for the film. He&#8217;s an amazing professor and we&#8217;re lucky to have him at Leeward <abbr>CC<\/abbr>,&rdquo; said Hunter.<\/p>\n<p>More information about how to watch <em>Sakura &#38; Pearls: Healing from World War <abbr title=\"2\">II<\/abbr><\/em> is available on <a href=\"https:\/\/gkhunter.com\/\">Hunter\u2019s website<\/a>. Upcoming appearances and projects include a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/forgiving-the-unforgivable-tickets-196224291137\">talk for the University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Matsunaga Institute<\/a> about <em>Sakura &#38; Pearls: Healing from World War <abbr title=\"2\">II<\/abbr><\/em> on November 11 (Veterans Day), a talk for Pacific Historic Parks called &ldquo;Their Legacy Lives On&rdquo; (stories from Jimmy Lee and Everett Hyland), and a short documentary called <em>Searching for Toshi<\/em> that is about Jimmy Lee searching for his childhood friend Toshi after the Pearl Harbor attack.<\/p>\n<p>Learn more about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.leeward.hawaii.edu\/dmed\">Leeward <abbr>CC<\/abbr>\u2019s Digital Media Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_150533\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-150533\" style=\"width: 676px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-sakura-pearls.jpg\" alt=\"Cherry blossoms\" width=\"676\" height=\"381\" class=\"size-full wp-image-150533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-sakura-pearls.jpg 676w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-sakura-pearls-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/leeward-digital-media-sakura-pearls-130x73.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 676px) 100vw, 676px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-150533\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Sakura &#38; Pearls<\/em> promotional image<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kamana Hunter\u2019s World War <abbr title=\"2\">II<\/abbr> documentary has a national premiere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[1056,65,71,56],"class_list":["post-150489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-digital-media-arts","tag-leeward-community-college","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-video-2","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150489"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150489\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":150544,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150489\/revisions\/150544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}