Densho: A Poignant Documentary That Sheds Light On Cultural Heritage

Director Andrew Garcia’s Densho is a moving tribute, an expository of a bygone era. The incarceration of Japanese-Americans, two-thirds of whom were American citizens between 1942 & 1945 remains an indelible blotch in history; one that needs to be revisited repeatedly, sensitively. And, to Garcia’s credit, he achieves that and more.

Right from the poster designed by Mitzi Akaha or Yasuhito Koike’s calligraphy that brings a fitting imagery to the film’s title, Garcia ensures that the mood remains sombre. For a topic as melancholic and heartburning as this, it’s interesting to note that the setting is rather soft, even buoyant with hope & warmth.

Densho, a Japanese term, meaning to pass down to the next generation, as said by the voice over is explored in slivers; perhaps that was a wise decision too, considering how heavy the subject matter is. Considering the present times, the geopolitical state of matters, a film such as this one deserves significant attention.

In 06:27-minutes, we see Zachary Shigeto Saginaw, an electronic artist exploring his family’s history, generational trauma and healing. It’s moving, affecting and cathartic. Shigeto and his brother Ben have turned into fine artists. Their work is a reflection of their family’s inherited culture, heritage and shared pain. The internment of Japanese-Americans (1,20,000) didn’t spare Shigeto’s family. His grandmother, Mai Ohmura Watanbe, 102, graces the documentary, throwing light on what the war brought to her doorstep. The separation from her brother Paul, the disintegration of the family, the incarceration of her relatives. Shigeto’s mother Lori Watanabe Saginaw, 74, elucidates it even better when she recollects what it meant to belong to a family that had to face the horrors of war.

Cinematographer Sachi Bahra balances the stills used (Carmelo Varela) along with the archival footage to present on 16-mm, an even-paced, dramatic narration to the storyline. Add to that, Shigeto’s music and Fernando Arguello’s sound, what we get is an enriching experience that lets us travel between time, space and generations. Editor/Colourist Julia Kupiec maintains the film’s pace, the colour palette–a soft hue of yesteryears makes it easy to slip through time and revisit the forgotten era.

Densho is a must watch for those interested in history, documentary and culture. But, more so, for those who yearn for closure, hope and redemption. The story, even though reflective of Japanese-American history, is ultimately universal in its appeal. When Lori W Saginaw says that there’s nothing that brings her more joy than the music her son has created from all the collective pain and trauma that the family had unknowingly passed on, we get the hint, the closure we seek. There’s always hope, there’s always something to look forward to–after all such is life.

Watch Densho Documentary