An Activist's Life: Aoki
Wednesday October 20, 2010
| Films in this Program | Directed by | |
| Aoki | Ben Wang, Mike Cheng |
Day 3 | Program 4
An Activist’s Life: Aoki
Sat. Nov. 6th, 11:00 AM
When we think of the Sixties, images of music and culture and the rise of the youth movement immediately come to mind. And we’re also aware of the fight for racial equality and the rise of radical politics. However, what we’re not aware of was that someone of Asian heritage played an instrumental part during these times. AOKI is a fascinating portrait of the life of Richard Aoki (1938-2009), a third-generation Japanese American who became one of the founding members of the Black Panther Party.
Aoki
Directors/Writers/Producers: Ben Wang, Mike Cheng
Documentary | DigiBeta | Colour | 2009 | 94 min | USA
Filmed over the last five years of Richard’s life, AOKI features extensive footage with Richard and exclusive interviews with his Black Panther comrades, friends, and former students. Richard’s political awareness was shaped in childhood at the age of 4 during WWII when his family was uprooted to a Japanese American internment camp. Four years later, they were relocated to West Oakland, a predominantly African American community where the racial tension and segregation had a significant impact on Richard. And then during his eight years serving in the U.S. military, he became more and more critical of the Vietnam War. In college, he became friends with Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, who became founders of the Black Panther Party, and where Richard played a key and critical role in the rise of the organization.
AOKI highlights how Richard’s leadership also made a significant impact on individuals and groups in the contemporary Asian American Movement. Richard’s contributions to the groundbreaking organization Asian American Political Alliance (AAPA) and its involvement in the Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) student strike led to the formation of ethnic studies at UC Berkeley. AOKI is a film that demonstrates the incredible dedication to justice that one man’s life has had and how the lessons of solidarity, commitment, and discipline can carry on from one generation to the next.
CANADIAN PREMIERE | DIRECTORS IN ATTENDANCE
Previous Screenings/Awards:
Oakland Grand Lake Theater, SF International Asian American Film Festival, LA Asian Pacific American Film Festival, Chicago Asian American Showcase
co-presented by:
Nikkei National Museum & Heritage Centre
Nikkei Place is a shared space where people of all backgrounds can call home. Comprised of three main facilities, The National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre (NNMHC), Nikkei Home (a seniors care facility), and Sakura-so (independent seniors housing), our strength is the network of communities within a community. At the NNMHC we educate people by looking to our history. We engage people to learn about our culture, our heritage, and to act with integrity to build a better tomorrow.
www.nikkeiplace.org
6688 Southoaks Crescent
Burnaby, BC V5E 4M7
