Film Record: Nisei Parade

Date produced: 1934

Filmmaker(s):

Ikuo Serisawa

Sueo Serisawa

Languages:

Japanese, English

Length:

5 reels (2000 ft)

Format:

16mm

Colour:

B&W

Sound Notes:

Silent

Awards/Recognition:

American Cinematographer Amateur Movie Makers Contest, 1935 - Honorable Mention

Description:

"Photographed against the variegated background of Japanese life In Southern California, "Nisei Parade" strives to follow the lives of three nisei youths and of a girl, the sister of one of them, who returns to California after attending school in Nippon. The two young men, Ikuo and Sueo Serisawa, have taken their camera and their script into every phase of Japanese life into America. The story is centered on Jiro, one of the three nisei who is employed in one of the many huge produce markets in Southern California, and who is torn between the choice of a career as a photographer necessitating years of study, and his love for Sumi, the girl. It is the story also of George and Shig, the other two youths. The roles are capably portrayed by Tadashi Kamayatsu, Alice Iserl, Peter Takahashi, and James Sujishi. Although taken on 16mm. stock, and although it is a silent, film utilizing Japanese and English titles, "Nisei Parade" won praise for its photographic excellence when shown before various American groups, including MGM." The New World Daily News, March 14, 1935, 1.

"J. R. Derisowa [sic] received honorable mention for his 2000-ft. picture, 'Nisei Parade'. As a general rule it is difficult to maintain interest through five reels of pictures." American Cinematographer, Feb. 1936, 73.

Resources:

Nisei Parade was produced by the Serisawa brothers, though American Cinematographer incorrectly credits the film to "J. R. Derisowa."

See "Nisei Parade Depicts Life Photographed Against Variegated Scenes of Japanese Life in California" (The New World Daily News, March 14, 1935, 1).

The film is noted to be the first "all-Nisei cast movie produced by the Japanese to come out of the Southland" in The New World Sun Daily (June 26, 1937, 1). Also mentioned in Pacific Citizen (Sept. 12, 1958, 3).

Historian Greg Robinson discusses this film and its filmmakers in two articles featured in The Nichi Bei Weekly: see "The Great Unknown and the Unknown Great: Cinematic 20th century Nikkei" (Jan. 1, 2018) and "The Great Unknown and the Unknown Great: Sueo and Ikuo Serisawa’s Lifelong Dedication to the Arts" (Feb. 1, 2018).

Locations:

• Los Angeles, California (Filming)
• San Pedro, Los Angeles, California (Filming)

Subjects:

• Work
•           California
•      Japan
•      Teenagers

Genre:

• Melodrama

Form:

• Feature

Screenings:

• Previewed at the Miyako Hotel Los Angeles in 1934 (The New World Daily News, Dec. 24, 1934): Los Angeles, CA
• Premiered in Los Angeles in January of 1935: Los Angeles, CA
• Screened at the Sokoji Hall in San Francisco in 1935 (The New World Daily News, March 12, 1935): San Francisco, CA
• Screened at the ME Church in Alameda in 1935 (The New World Daily News, March 21, 1935): Alameda, CA
• Screened under sponsorship of the Nitto Club of San Jose in 1935 (The New World Daily News, April 5, 1935): San Jose, CA
• Screened at the Japanese Presbyterian Church in Salinas in 1935 (The New World Daily News, April 10, 1935): Salinas, CA
• Screened by the Monterey chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League in 1935 (The New World Daily News, April 13, 1935): Monterey, CA
• Screened at a "benefit performance" in Stockton in 1939: Stockton, CA

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