- Films and events
- Expanded
- A Life in Pieces: The Diary and Letters of Stanley Hayami
Immersive film
A Life in Pieces: The Diary and Letters of Stanley Hayami
Step into the wartime diary of a young Japanese-American teenager as he describes his internment during the Second World War, due to his ethnic background.
Book your timeslot to experience this in person at 26 Leake Street
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Lead Artists
Nonny de la Peña, Sharon Yamato
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USA 2021. 18min
World Premiere
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Language
None
Where to watch
6 to 17 October, 11AM to 9PM, in person at 26 Leake Street
6 to 17 October, virtually at The Expanse, available for free internationally
This cutting-edge media project brings to life the wartime diary of Stanley Hayami, a Japanese-American teenager who, during the Second World War, was forced into captivity with his family and many other American citizens of Japanese descent at Wyoming’s Heart Mountain Relocation Center. Viewers are invited to enter the rugged living conditions where the Hayami family lived as Stanley describes with poignant optimism the difficult reality he faces being imprisoned behind barbed wire. An artist at heart, his various drawings and sketches inspired US VR director Nonny de la Pena – frequently described as ‘The Godmother of VR’ – to tell Stanley’s story. Employing state-of-the-art VR technology, the teenager’s writings and drawings come to life through live-action characters, 3D animation and photogrammetry of actual surroundings.
Ulrich Schrauth
Age recommendation: 15+
Contains scenes of racism
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Project Creator
Nonny de la Peña, PhD
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Key Collaborator
Sharon Yamato
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Directors-Writers
Nonny de la Peña, PhD, Sharon Yamato
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Quill Animator
Haley Tomaszewski
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Lead Engineer
Chaitanya Shah
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Technical Director
Jonathan Yomayuza
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Art Director
Charlie Park
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Producer
Dan Brower
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Production Company
Emblematic Group
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Produced in Partnership with Japanese American National Museum
With Kurt Kanazawa, Nobuaki Shimamoto, Sachiyo K, Kristen Hayashi, Kawai Akiona, Jesse McBride

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