2016 Tohoku Tomo Film Screening and Q&A Session with Director Wesley JulianNEW

Occidental College's Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program Alumni Association of Southern California (JETAASC), and the Japan Foundation will host a screening of the documentary film, Tohoku Tomo. This free screening commemorates the fifth anniversary of The Great East Japan Earthquake, which caused a tsunami that claimed over 15,000 lives on March 11th, 2011. Tohoku Tomo (translated: "Friends of Tohoku") brings attention to the ongoing efforts to rebuild the Tohoku region of Japan which was directly impacted by the disaster.

Chicago-based filmmaker Wesley Julian a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College and former participant on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, was in Japan on March 11, 2011, when the earthquake struck. Seeing the devastation first-hand and losing a close friend in the tsunami, he returned to the USA committed to helping bring attention to the ongoing needs in the areas devastated by the tsunami.

In 2013, with funding from a Kickstarter campaign, Julian and a small team traveled back to Japan to interview individuals and organizations that have been working in the Tohoku region since March 11.

"It was important to me to not forget what happened, but also to tell the story of what's happening now in Japan," Julian said. "The film captures the stories of people who saw a need and did what they could to make a difference. My hope is that it will inspire others to visit the area and be a part of the rebuilding efforts in Japan."

The film includes over a dozen interviews, footage from the impacted areas, and features J-Pop artist Maynard Plant from the band Monkey Majik; Stu Levy, producer of the film Pray for Japan; and host of Tokyofoodcast, Etsuko Nakamura.

Tohoku Tomo, a story of true friendship and commitment to Japan's recovery by the international community following The Great East Japan Earthquake, will be screened in Los Angeles for the first time on Friday, March 18th, 2016 at 7:00 PM at the Choi Auditorium at Occidental College (1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA 90041). The event will serve as a fundraiser for the Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund, which helps students, schools and families in the Ishinomaki area recover from the earthquake and tsunami while honoring the memory of Taylor Anderson, who was one of 2 JET participants whose lives were lost in the tragedy.

A special Q&A session with director Wesley Julian will follow the screening of the film.

This screening and special Q&A session is generously supported by the Japan Foundation.

Admission is free, but tickets are required and can be reserved at https://tohokutomo-la.eventbrite.com 

For details, visit TohokuTomo.com.