Through intimate conversations over old photobooks and home movies from the 1930s, sansedai (三世代) explores themes of identity and belonging as it follows the filmmaker’s 92-year-old grandmother’s journey growing up during war, migrating to a country that was once deemed an enemy, and what it means to be Japanese-American.
follow on instagram @sansedai
follow on instagram @sansedai
screenings
May 2, 2024 — VC Film Festival // Los Angeles, CA [WORLD PREMIERE]
May 9, 2024 — VC Film Festival // Long Beach, CA [Encore Screening]
October 19, 2024 — Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest // Sunnyvale, CA
November 7-17, 2024 — Philly Asian American Film Festival // Philadelphia, PA
December 1, 2024 — Boston Japan Film Festival // Boston, MA
December 13, 2024 — FilmGood Festival // Los Angeles, CA
January 30, 2025 - Barbados Independent Film Festival // Bridgetown, Barbados [WINNER - Best Documentary Short]
March 10-23, 2025 - DisOrient Asian American Film Festival // Eugene, OR
April 30, 2025 - Washington, DC International Film Festival // Washington, DC
May 6, 2025 - Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival // Los Angeles, CA
May 30, 2025 - Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival (Opening Night) // Houston, TX
July 12, 2025 - Bravemaker Film Festival // Redwood City, CA
May 9, 2024 — VC Film Festival // Long Beach, CA [Encore Screening]
October 19, 2024 — Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest // Sunnyvale, CA
November 7-17, 2024 — Philly Asian American Film Festival // Philadelphia, PA
December 1, 2024 — Boston Japan Film Festival // Boston, MA
December 13, 2024 — FilmGood Festival // Los Angeles, CA
January 30, 2025 - Barbados Independent Film Festival // Bridgetown, Barbados [WINNER - Best Documentary Short]
March 10-23, 2025 - DisOrient Asian American Film Festival // Eugene, OR
April 30, 2025 - Washington, DC International Film Festival // Washington, DC
May 6, 2025 - Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival // Los Angeles, CA
May 30, 2025 - Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival (Opening Night) // Houston, TX
July 12, 2025 - Bravemaker Film Festival // Redwood City, CA
director's statement
As a self-taught filmmaker, I was always drawn to the power of visual storytelling and fell in love with the medium of film. Shortly after graduating college, I took a leap of faith and moved to NYC to immerse myself in the film community. Now years later, I’ve worked my way up through the camera department in both NYC & LA and I am proud to share my first documentary short film, sansedai (three generations).
This film shares the very personal story of my grandmother growing up during the war in Japan before moving to the US in the 1950s amidst heightened racial tensions, especially towards Japanese people. My grandmother’s wedding kimono connects all three generations and tethers me to my ancestral heritage as I try to define what being Japanese-American means to me.
This timely documentary illuminates the lasting impacts of war and imperialism while sharing a first hand account of the uncertainties of migrating to a new country. As a proud granddaughter of immigrants, I hope this film resonates across generations and cultures as we continue to see the humanity in others.
credits
directed and written by KAYLI KIMURA
featuring YASUKO KIMURA, KIYOSHI KIMURA, KAYLI KIMURA, & AMY WEISS
produced by VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS & KAYLI KIMURA
cinematography by KAYLI KIMURA
editor KAYLI KIMURA
music by MIRELLE CABANGBANG & JENNIFER CLEMENA-MAGAT
associate producer AKINYEMI
additional camera AKINYEMI
sound editor MICAH GARRIDO
sound mixer AKINYEMI
recording engineer AKINYEMI
colorist KAYLI KIMURA
kimono dresser AKANE MASHIMO
featuring YASUKO KIMURA, KIYOSHI KIMURA, KAYLI KIMURA, & AMY WEISS
produced by VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS & KAYLI KIMURA
cinematography by KAYLI KIMURA
editor KAYLI KIMURA
music by MIRELLE CABANGBANG & JENNIFER CLEMENA-MAGAT
associate producer AKINYEMI
additional camera AKINYEMI
sound editor MICAH GARRIDO
sound mixer AKINYEMI
recording engineer AKINYEMI
colorist KAYLI KIMURA
kimono dresser AKANE MASHIMO
archival footage by:
KIYOSHI & YASUKO KIMURA
My Great-Grandfathers:
ISAMU KIMURA (1895-1981)
KENICHI TANAKA (1903-1966)
Thank you for instilling filmmaking in my genes.
KIYOSHI & YASUKO KIMURA
My Great-Grandfathers:
ISAMU KIMURA (1895-1981)
KENICHI TANAKA (1903-1966)
Thank you for instilling filmmaking in my genes.
special thanks
AWC 2024 COHORT
VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS
VEIALU AILA-UNSWORTH
ASAVARI KUMAR
AMY WEISS
LISA KIMURA
KENNY KIMURA
DANNY WEISS
AKINYEMI
FUJIFILM
AWC 2024 COHORT
VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS
VEIALU AILA-UNSWORTH
ASAVARI KUMAR
AMY WEISS
LISA KIMURA
KENNY KIMURA
DANNY WEISS
AKINYEMI
FUJIFILM
the armed with a camera fellowship is sponsored in part by grants from
SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE
ELIZABETH SUNG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL
SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE
ELIZABETH SUNG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL
© 2024 Kayli Kimura and Visual Communications
