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First to Go: Story of The Kataoka Family cover image

First to Go: Story of The Kataoka Family 2021

Highly Recommended

Distributed by New Day Films, 350 North Water Street Unit 1-12, Newburgh, NY 12550; 888-367-9154
Produced by Myles Matsuno
Directed by Myles Matsuno
Streaming, 20 mins



K-General Adult
Asian-American History; Prisons; World War II

Date Entered: 10/14/2022

Reviewed by Dorian Bowen, Archivist/Film Historian

Lovingly created, First to Go is an oral history of the Kataoka family's experiences during World War II, as told primarily by Mary "Hisako" Matsuno, daughter of Japanese immigrant Ichiro Kataoka.

Mary grew up one of seven children in San Francisco and recalls a happy childhood until December 7, 1941. Mere hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the FBI came to her father's Aki Hotel, rummaged through his belongings for evidence of espionage, then arrested and took him away without cause or explanation. After Executive Order 9066 was signed in February of 1942, the rest of the family was forced to downsize their possessions to a couple of suitcases and were sent by train to the Topaz War Relocation Camp in Utah.

This short film is packed with anecdotes about the Kataoka family, and the years they were incarcerated by the United States government, a fate shared by approximately 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry between 1942 and 1945. Mary, a young teenager at the time, shares memories of experiences not often discussed, such as going to school and attending dances during her years of imprisonment. This is a film that therefore translates incredibly well to audiences of all ages. Beyond the obvious curricula of World War II, US History, and Asian-American History, it is also well-suited for discussions about Racism, Discrimination, Criminal Justice, Civil Rights, Sociology, and Psychology – and is highly recommended.

Awards:
Certificate of Award of Excellence, City of San Francisco 2017; Hollywood International Independent Documentary Award, Winner, Director 2017; Sidewalk Film Festival, Best Short Documentary, Audience Award 2017; Hollywood International Independent Documentary Award, Winner, Short 2017; Hollywood International Independent Documentary Award, Winner, Story 2017; Impact Doc Awards, Award of Excellence 2019; National Telly Award Winner, Bronze - Non-Broadcast 2019; National Telly Award Winner, Bronze - Music 2019

Published and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Anyone can use these reviews, so long as they comply with the terms of the license.