Obachan's Garden

Obachan's Garden

| 1 h 34 min
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Peeling back the layers of her grandmother's life, filmmaker Linda Ohama discovers a painful, buried past in this feature-length documentary. Asayo Murakami, 103 years old, recalls life in Japan, her arrival in Canada as a "picture bride," her determination to marry a man of her choice, the bombing of Hiroshima and the forced relocation of her family during WWII. Beautifully rendered dramatic sequences are merged with an exquisite collection of memories, feelings, images and voices. Culminating in an emotional reunion with a long-lost daughter, this film is a personal reflection of Japanese-Canadian history and a testament to one woman's endurance and spirit.

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Obachan's Garden , Linda Ohama, provided by the National Film Board of Canada

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Credits
  • director
    Linda Ohama
  • producer
    Selwyn Jacob
    Linda Ohama
  • executive producer
    Graydon McCrea
  • director of photography
    Kirk Tougas
  • script
    Linda Ohama
  • editing
    Manfred Becker
    Linda Ohama
  • music
    Dennis Burke
  • associate producer
    Betsy Carson
  • narrator
    Linda Ohama
  • participant
    Natsuko Ohama
    Nelson Mashita
    Caitlin Ohama Darcus
    Donna Yamamoto
    July Ono
    Warren Takeuchi
 See also
Women - Portraits
Social Issues
Cultural Diversity and Multiculturalism
History - Canada
Seniors
All subjects
Featured Films
All channels
Add a new comment
  • Lorene Oikawa

    Thank you Linda. I have watched Obachan's Garden over the years, and every time I watch it, I feel the joy and the pain of Obachan. I think her spirit is happy and with us when we see her beautiful garden in Steveston bloom every year.

    Lorene Oikawa, 24 Aug 2020
  • gdoi

    Wonderful historical and dramatic tribute. Thanks for making this film.

    gdoi, 2 Jan 2017
  • grannylin46

    Thank-You for sharing your wonderful heart felt story and Thank you NFB for the making of this film.

    grannylin46, 26 Aug 2014
  • chiyoko

    love you great grandma xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

    chiyoko, 27 Jun 2010
  • reginahartwick

    wonderful film!

    reginahartwick, 26 Feb 2010
  • cdrozdow

    Beautiful film.

    cdrozdow, 27 Jan 2010

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