—Asian American International Film Festival

The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the film's directors Lucy Ostrander and Don Sellers. 

Kazuo Yamane, a Nisei Japanese American from Hawai‘i, played a crucial strategic role in World War II. He and his fellow Nisei from Hawai‘i combatted prejudice and discrimination to loyally serve their country. Their extraordinary service, mostly untold, ultimately changed the course of U.S. history. Drafted just before the war, he became part of what would be the War Department’s most successful social experiment, taking Nisei troops from Hawai‘i and forming the 100th Infantry Battalion, a unit made up of a group entirely related to a country at war with the U.S. 

 

Their success was spectacular, but Kazuo was plucked from their ranks for his exceptional knowledge of Japanese, which would lead him to the Pentagon, to a secret facility in northern Maryland, and finally, to serving under President Eisenhower in Europe. His is an example of the larger story: that of the Nisei soldiers who battled prejudice and discrimination while loyally striving to serve their country. 

 

 “...you will exit the theater with a greater understanding of Hawai‘i’s history and an appreciation for the depth of service the young Nisei stepped up to perform when the odds were against them.” 
—Karleen C. Chinen, The Hawaii Herald

 

 “Proof of Loyalty, the story of elite translator Kazuo Yamane, is a superb lens to view the WWII contribution of Japanese American soldiers from Hawaii. Through stunning, little-known footage and precise narration, Proof of Loyalty captures the sad irony that those we discriminate against may be among our most able, tireless, and faithful. A meticulous, powerful, and all too timely film.”
—Pamela Rotner Sakamoto, author

 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer 

Food and beverages will be available for purchase from 1:00 - 3:00 pm in the Yokouchi Pavilion Courtyard. See full menu HERE.