A Crossroad Called Manzanar (film)

Short dramatic film about two nine-year-old girls who are best friends—Aya Matsui and Penny Chan—in the final days before Aya's family will be forced to board busses for Manzanar . On what will be her final day of school, Penny—wearing the "Proud to Be Chinese" button than her mother pins on her every morning—comes to pick up Aya as usual. But after being harassed by white children on their way to school, they decide to spend the day playing in the fields and parks before heading home. Aya's family eats on the floor, the rest of their things packed or sold off. The next morning, the Matsuis report for their exile and are put on busses for Manzanar. Penny comes by their house, finding it empty and, shunned by the other kids, rides alone on the school bus to school.

A Crossroad Called Manzanar received a grant from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program and assistance from the Japanese American National Museum , Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, and Independent Filmmaker Project.

Might also like Tsuru (2014); A Song for Manzanar (2014); Moving Day (1965)