An Afternoon with Linda Ohama

Linda Ohama

An emotional and touching presentation that brought many to tears, internationally acclaimed film director Linda Ohama shared her personal experiences telling stories through film, and gave a private screening of her intensely personal, mixed documentary/dramatic film "Obachan's Garden".

On the celebration of her 100th birthday, Obachan revealed a long-held deep secret to her granddaughter (Ohama) that sent shock waves through the family and inspired the making of this film. In an incredible telling of one woman's spirit and endurance, Ohama delicately pealed back the layers of her grandmother's life in a series of interviews merged with dramatic sequences that moved through several marriages, bombing of Hiroshima, internment of Japanese-Canadians during WWII, arrival in Canada as a picture bride, and early life in Onomichi, Japan. In conclusion, Ohama stressed that extraordinary stories can be found behind the most common and ordinary faces, and that learning those stories and keeping them alive is our gift for future generations.