Flying Carp Productions - Documentary Films » Films

Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful

admin — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:30:42 +0000

In a world dominated by men, a tiny 98-year-old named Keiko Fukuda is the highest ranking woman in judo history and a true living legend. In July 2011, Fukuda made world history when she was awarded the 10th degree black belt - judo’s highest honor. She now has the distinguished title of “Shihan” (grand master) and is the only woman in the world to hold this honor. Fukuda is also the last living disciple of Jigoro Kano, judo’s founder.

In 1934, Fukuda was preparing for marriage, like most young women in Japan. But when she met Jigoro Kano, her life’s path was radically altered. She gave up marriage, family, and her homeland to pursue her life destiny - spreading judo around the world.

In 1966, she immigrated to the U.S. as a single woman, hoping to make a living by teaching judo. Her move to the U.S. caught light of rank injustice within the Japanese judo system. With the help of American women’s rights activists and her judo students, Fukuda began her struggle up the male dominant ladder of judo.

Occidental Encounters

admin — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:04:20 +0000

Mixing cultures, race and families is at the heart of any intercultural/interracial marriage. In Occidental Encounters, Yuriko Gamo Romer explores this subject while in the midst of her own “mixed” engagement and wedding. Two very colorful, more experienced couples expound on their experiences as the filmmaker raises issues and questions. The film specifically looks at Japanese American mixed marriage, but the issues transcend the specifics to the point that any marriage is in fact a joining of two cultures, as most married people can attest to.

Occidental Encounters is a National Educational Media Network, Silver Apple recipient, an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 1998 Student Academy Award Gold Medalist, and a Jimmy Stewart Memorial Crystal Heart Award winner.

Friend Ships

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 06:54:59 +0000

In Friend Ships, the whimsical animation of soft puppets, brings to life the historical tale of Manjiro.

In 1841 an American whaling ship came across five shipwrecked, Japanese fishermen. A bright and curious, fourteen year-old boy named Manjiro was among them. The doors of Japan had been tightly closed, by the Tokugawa Shogunate from 1633 to 1868. In order to rescue the fishermen, Captain William Whitfield had no choice but to take them back to America.

The friendship between Japan and the U.S. was being forged on the decks of the whaling ship, the John Howland. Young Manjiro was like a sponge, soaking up English, navigation, and whaling. Captain Whitfield invited Manjiro to return home with him, to Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

The news of gold fever reached Fairhaven, and Manjiro saw this opportunity, to earn passage home to his mother. Japan’s doors were still closed tight and as soon as the boat landed on Japanese soil, Manjiro was interrogated as a spy. But soon after, the Tokugawa Shogunate caught wind of bilingual, bicultural Manjiro.

As an important translator during negotiations with Commodore Perry, Manjiro was given the rank of samurai. Then in 1860, he sailed back to America. Manjiro’s knowledge of two languages and cultures, gave him an important role in the first ambassadorial mission to the U.S., which marked the beginning of U.S.- Japan diplomatic relations.

Dancing With God

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:28:23 +0000

“St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote, ‘The one thing truly worthwhile is becoming God’s friend.’ That matters more than doing things right, so God will reward you, or avoiding evil, so you won’t get punished” says Rick Fabian, rector of St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco.

Dancing with God is a documentary about a church and a community that embodies St. Gregory’s ideas. Singing, dancing, and sharing life’s experiences are brought vibrantly to life as you get a sense of the people who make up this deeply connected and colorful community.