Just Beyond Hope is an experimental documentary about experiences of Japanese-Canadians and Japanese-Americans during World War Two. Using personal archival photos, letters, and newpapers, Just Beyond Hope creates a dialogue between white and Japanese, Canadian and Americans first and second generation women.
Each person offers their unique perspective. As these women tell their stories from different points of view, a fractured jigsaw puzzle of the time period builds memory fragments by memory fragments. The historical issues triggered by war – of racism, nationalism, incarceration, enforced servitude, repatriation, reparations and land claims/occupation – are brought forward through the details of the women’s daily lives.
Pia Massis is a teacher and multimedia artist whoes works has been exhibited in festivals, musuems and galleries throughout North America and Europe. Massis has received multiple awardsi including the American Film Institute’s Independent Filmmakers award (LA), Prix St. Gervais (Geneva) and Prix de I’Institut de Design de Montreal.
