Tsunagu: Film Screening & Dialogue

Kikiai Collaborative invites “young-ish” Japanese Canadians to watch a special screening of Tsunagu. Exploring intergenerational experiences of Japanese Canadians, Tsunagu weaves together stories of memory, resilience and family connections.

Following the screening, film producers Lucy Komori and Connie Kadota will lead breakout group discussions to explore the themes of the film and the importance of sharing intergenerational community experiences. This event provides a unique opportunity to engage with these stories, connect with community members, and reflect on a significant chapter in Canadian history. Light refreshments will be provided.

Event Details

• When: Saturday, March 1, 2025, from 4-6 pm
• Where: Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (6888 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby)
• Who: “Young-ish” folks of Japanese descent (suggested for folks up to 40 years old) of all generations, experiences, backgrounds and connections to the Japanese Canadian community (max. 20 people)
• Cost: $5-15 sliding scale (+ fees)

For questions, please email kikiaicollaborative [at] gmail [dot] com.

Disclaimer: This film and/or group discussion may trigger difficult conversations for some people. A counsellor will be on-site and participants are welcome to leave the space as needed.

Accessibility, Parking & Transportation

• This film will be screened with subtitles and a registered sign language interpreter will be on-site
• The Tsubaki Room (#200) is located on the second floor and can be accessed via elevator or stairs; from street level, there are no stairs required to access the ground floor of the building
• Gendered, multi-stall washrooms are on the ground floor and second floor with a single, wheelchair-accessible stall in each washroom; a universal washroom is on the main floor
• Free street and limited underground parking (with elevator access to the first and second floors) is available
• The nearest SkyTrain station is Edmonds, a 16-minute walk to the museum up a steep hill or a 13-minute bus ride (#119)

About the Film

“Canadians of Japanese descent have a traumatic shared experience of uprooting and dislocation during World War II. Many families have not shared these experiences with their children and grandchildren. Tsunagu, which means to connect, explores the generational impact of losing this history.

“I have been working on Tsunagu for more than five years through in-person gatherings in the Japanese Canadian (JC) community, through small group discussions and through a web / blog site. Along with my friend and colleague Connie Kadota, we felt that it was important for Japanese Canadians to learn about their own personal and family histories. To reconnect with stories and experiences that have been lost because many JC families have not shared their past with their children. This film is a culmination of all these activities. Tsunagu is not just a recounting of our shared JC history but a glimpse at the long-term emotional impact of past injustices on current and future generations of Canadians of Japanese descent.”

—Lucy Komori, film director, screenwriter and producer

Film length: 26 minutes

About the Presenters

Connie Kadota

Connie Kadota is a Sansei, born and raised in Vancouver, after her parents returned to BC from their forced removal during the war. She and Lucy started working together when they put together a slide tape show for the first Powell Street Festival in 1977. They resumed working together after their retirement, first gathering Japanese Canadians to share and preserve their stories, then starting on their Tsunagu projects, to get JCs to share their stories across generations. They gave a workshop in 2020, produced a blog of stories on a website (tsunagu.ca), and organized a deeper intergenerational exploration with three families in a JC Legacies project. They also took a community media course through the ACAM (Asian Canadian and Asian Migration) department at UBC, and produced a short film called Sedai: Across Generations, about two Sansei and two Yonsei, and their experiences around identity.

Lucy Komori

Lucy Komori is a third-generation Canadian of Japanese descent who has been involved in a variety of community-based initiatives in arts and activism in the Japanese Canadian community. Lucy is deeply interested in exploring our shared personal, family and community histories. Lucy has recently turned to community filmmaking to profile narratives of Japanese Canadians. Lucy was awarded a TELUS STORYHIVE grant and produced Tsunagu, a film looking at the stories we share with our children and grandchildren.

This screening is part of chibisoku (チビ足), a series of six micro-events hosted by Kikiai Collaborative in 2025 to foster intimate learning, connection and dialogue among “young-ish” Japanese Canadians. Learn more at kikiai.ca/chibisoku.