Our Mr. Matsura

Friday, March 13, 9:45 am - 11:40 pm
Directed/Produced by Beth Harrington
2025. US/Japan. 97 min.
Country/Region Featured: Pacific Northwest/Hirado/Tokyo/Yokohama | Languages: English and
Japanese

Also available for virtual on-demand viewing. Register at the Film Expo desk.
In-person Q&A with Scholar/Film Advisor ShiPu Wang (UC Merced)

Frank Matsura, the orphaned son of a samurai, emigrated to the American West in 1901, settling in remote Washington State. There he joined a community of Native people and newly arrived settlers. He quickly became the region’s leading photographer and most beloved citizen. His work which transcended the prosaic photographs typical of the times, was characterized by unusual self-portraits and playful collaborations with his subjects. His death at age 39 was a blow to all. A century later, the people of the county and the tribes still have pride and a sense of personal connection to the work he created.

Northeast Asia - Japan; Asian Diaspora, Pacific Northwest/Hirado/Tokyo/Yokohama