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This black-and-white documentary weaves scenes of Japanese American poet and professor Lawson Inada’s life with his writing. Titled after one of his poems, I TOLD YOU SO follows Inada to Fresno, California for a childhood reunion. Shots of his multicultural childhood neighborhood show downtown graffiti, bars, and the Nisei Barber Shop. Inada runs into his aunt, one of the subjects of his poems where she asks, “All this identity thing. What is it you’re looking for?” Inada’s answer is in his poem, “Nightsongs in Asian America” that addresses the active residence to World War II incarceration and his relationship with his son.

  • Year
    1974
  • Runtime
    18 minutes
  • Language
    English
  • Country
    United States
  • Awards
    Awardee, National Film Preservation Foundation, 2007
  • Director
    Alan Kondo
  • Music
    June and Dan Kuramoto