J-Sei At The Movies (on Zoom)
Friday, April 11, 6:30 pm

J-Sei Movie Night is dedicated to the wonderful and fascinating world of Japanese cinema, as well as Japanese American and AAPI films!

Join us on Friday, April 11, to watch and discuss the second film in the Samurai Trilogy by renowned director Yamada Yōji: THE HIDDEN BLADE / 隠し剣 鬼の爪 (2004) starring Nagase Masatoshi (Mystery Train; An) and Matsu Takako (Long Vacation; Hero) as a samurai and a household maid caught up in the waning years of the Tokugawa shogunate and on the verge of a new world. Winner for Best Art Direction at the Japan Academy Awards, this breathtaking movie is filled with period and location detail and characters that embody Yamada’s vision of the samurai genre.

If you would like to join us, please RSVP to jill@j-sei.org with “Apr movie night” in the subject line to receive Zoom info prior to the event.

See you at the movies!

J-Sei Movie Night Bento

Support J-Sei At the Movies

Thanks to you, J-Sei At the Movies is in its Eighth Year! We look forward to more creative programming with educational and inspiring Japanese and Japanese American films. We are especially grateful for the up close and personal chats with filmmakers as we learn so much from the exchange.

We love having a growing and enthusiastic audience. We welcome any donations to help us offset costs for Movie Night. Thanks for considering this.

A Storied Career in Filmmaking: John Esaki

Saturday, May 10, 2 pm

Filmmaker John Esaki will share selected clips of his work and stories from his long career in film, which was shaped and guided by a community spirit of pioneering Asian American filmmakers.

John Esaki retired from the Japanese American National Museum in 2024 after more than 25 years. At JANM he was videographer, director and editor for several documentaries, including: Words Weavings & Songs, a profile of three Nisei women artists, and Harsh Canvas—The Art & Life of Henry Sugimoto. He later served as Director–Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center, V.P. of Programs, and Senior Philanthropy Officer.

He pursued an MFA in film at UCLA in the late 70’s. Under Prof. Robert A. Nakamura, who had recently founded Visual Communications Asian Pacific Media Arts Center, John volunteered as a production assistant for Hito Hata: Raise the Banner (1980) and eventually became involved with the scripting. The lure of making films about one’s own history and community enticed John to remain in SoCal for the next 5 decades.

For 20 years on staff at Visual Communications, John worked in development and production, directing Yuki Shimoda–Asian American Actor, Maceo: Demon Drummer from East L.A. the taiko odyssey of a Chicano teen, and Stand Up for Justice, a short film about Ralph Lazo, a Mexican/Irish American high school student who voluntarily accompanied his classmates to the Manzanar concentration camp during WW2. John also worked as a freelance videographer and sound recordist and he remains grateful to have been hired and mentored by several prominent Bay Area filmmakers: Loni Ding, Michael Chin, Steven Okazaki, Emiko Omori, Spencer Nakasako, Curtis Choy and Wayne Wang.   

The event is presented by Friends of Topaz Museum and J-Sei, with funding support by Topaz Museum.

Photo credits: Jeff Liu, Visual Communications