Films as Mediators, Medicine and Memorials

The UA Department of East Asian Studies is partnering this month with the University Libraries to screen major movies that capture the World War II conflict between the United States and Japan. The screenings will be preceded by a short talk and followed by an audience discussion moderated by East Asian Studies Assistant Professor Nathaniel Smith.

"Tora! Tora! Tora!" has already screened, but two additional events are planned, both of which will be held at Gallagher Theater in the Student Union Memorial Center, 1303 E. University Blvd. at 6 p.m. They are: 

• Nov. 14: "Flags of Our Fathers" is a 2006 film directed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood and based on the book of the same name written by James Bradley and Ron Powers. The film details the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima and its aftermath.
• Nov. 21: "Letters From Iwo Jima," also a 2006 film directed and co-produced by Eastwood, portrays the Battle of Iwo Jima through the experience of Japanese soldiers. The film is meant to complement "Flags of Our Fathers."

In "Four Questions," Nathaniel Smith discusses film as a medium through which history can be explored and discussed across cultures. To read the full article in UA News, click here.