Event

DisOrient 2012 Jimmy Murakami: Non-Alien

Jimmy Murakami - Non Alien
Feature Narrative (73 min.)
Director: Sé Merry Doyle
Film Website: http://loopline.com/project/murakami
USA / Ireland

30 years ago the distinguished and talented film maker and animator, Jimmy T. Murakami became an exile from his native America for ideological reasons. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbour, Jimmy, a young boy of 8, was arrested alongside his brother and sisters and Japanese-born parents. The family was taken to the notorious Tule Lake Camp, in the wastelands of the California desert. There Jimmy and his family spent four years in the camp.
Jimmy, now in early retirement, decided to confront this period of his life by creating a series of stunning paintings that illuminate his memories of prison life. As he went through the process of creating them he began to reflect again on what this part of his life meant to him and we began to talk about collaborating on a documentary together. In this film, we go on a journey with Jimmy to illuminate this dark period of his life through an intriguing mix of live action and animation, telling the story of how this kind of unimaginable horror happened to ordinary people who were caught in the middle of politics and public hysteria that was beyond their control. The film blends the animation and live action in a visually arresting and aesthetically bold way to make a documentary that pushes the boundaries.