Misadventures of a Nisei Week Queen

Embark on a story of survival with JANM’s film screening of The Misadventures of a Nisei Week Queen. Told with poise, humor, and strength, this documentary chronicles the Forrest Gump life of spirited 92-year-old June Aochi Berk. Growing up in prewar Little Tokyo, she goes from surviving in a horse stall at the Santa Anita temporary detention center and in a barrack at the Rohwer concentration camp during World War II to being crowned Nisei Week Queen in Los Angeles.

Credits
Producer: Sharon Yamato
Director of Photography: Evan Kodani
Editor: Evan Kodani
Composer: Dave Iwataki
Sound Designer: Jon K. Oh

Plays in

TALES FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD

These four films tell the stories of communities galvanizing together in the face of oppression, violence, and injustice. They remind us that joy and play are just as important as grit and resilience, and often go hand-in-hand.