Documentary Screening, Witness: The Legacy of Heart Mountain

Three time Emmy Award winning documentary Witness: The Legacy of Heart Mountain tells the story of the Heart Mountain internment camp with 10,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned behind barbed wire and guard towers for no other reason than their heritage. Japanese American internment is a profound chapter of American history. This film’s mission is to keep that history alive and tell the story through pictures.

Within the camp, Patti Hirahara’s father and grandfather had a secret dark room under their barracks where they developed film. In the years they were imprisoned, they took thousands of photos, each an opportunity to see the daily struggles of making camp life livable. These photos are now housed in the collection of Manuscripts, Archives, & Special Collections at the WSU Libraries. This film brings these stories to life.

The screening will be followed with special guests David Ono and Jeff MacIntyer (Emmy award-winning creators, producers and editors), Patti Hirahara, John Streamas, Jeff Snell, and detainees from the local area all speaking to the movie in panel style.

A small reception will be held before the feature at the Museum of Art/WSU at 6pm, the movie showing begins at 7pm in the CUB Auditorium, with the panel discussion to follow.

(On a side note, David and Jeff will spend a day with the Murrow College students and their documentary will play on KWSU, our Public TV Station, via Tom Hungate).