Old Man River

Writer-performer Cynthia Gates-Fujikawa’s deeply personal and arresting one-woman show about the life of her father, Nisei actor Jerry Hatsuo Fujikawa, captures the sensation of hearing long-ago stories told by your grandmother. As a girl, Gates-Fujikawa discovered almost by accident that her father had a family before hers, lost in the Manzanar relocation camp. This artfully told story blends a ripping mystery with family heritage and a wryly-illustrated examination of anti-Japanese images in the cinema. Film clips, family photos and scenes from Manzanar enhance this evocative film that’s laced with irony.