Terminal USA

Terminal USA (1993) is a controversial film by Jon Moritsugu

Jon Moritsugu

Jon Moritsugu is an American underground filmmaker.Jon Moritsugu started filmmaking in 1985 when he went to school at Brown University. His Thesis film "Der Elvis" was called by critic J...

 that explores themes of family, drugs, violence and Asian American stereotypes. Its run time is 54 minutes and it is estimated to have had a budget of $365,000.

Beginnings and Controversy

Terminal USA started out as an entry for a script competition for PBS

Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....

. The script won 12,000 from that competition and the film was shown on television and created quite an uproar. "I was pushing the envelope trying to get crazy shit on TV. For a while we thought we were going to get a lawsuit. The producer said, ‘Let's work it. This is our publicity.'"(Director Jon Moritsugu) When people were questioning the National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...

for funding projects considered controversial, Terminal USA was one of the films used as an example for one of the controversial projects funded.
Terminal USA was almost put on Japan/US flights for Northwest Airlines, but they decided against it at the last minute.

Festivals and Awards

Museum of Modern Art, NYC
Toronto Film Festival
Rotterdam Film Festival
Goteberg Film Festival
Copenhagen Film Festival
V'iennale, Austria
The Fringe Fest , Australia
Musee d'Art Moderne, Paris
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, SF
Microcinefest, Baltimore
SF Asian American Film Festival

Cast

• Sharon Omi - Ma
• Ken Narasaki - Dad
• Kenny Lang - Grandpa
• Jenny Woo - Holly
• Jon Moritsugu - Marvin/Katsumi
• Amy Davis - Eightball
• Victor of Aquitaine - Tom Sawyer the Lawyer
• Timothy Innes - Fagtoast
• Peter Friedrich - Rex
• Bonnie Dickenson - Sally
• Jacques Boyreau - Tabitha the Skinhead
• Gregg Turkington - Six
• Elizabeth Canning - Muffy
• Joshua Pollock - Pizzaboy
• Lady - Hot Lust Operator
• Issa Bowser - Buffy (Head Cheerleader)
• Kathleen Blihar - Cheerleader
• Tami Lipsey - Cheerleader
• Desi Del Valle

Crew

• Alberto Garcia - executive producer
• Marlina Gonzalez - executive producer
• Timothy Innes - associate producer
• James Schamus - executive producer
• Andrea Sperling - producer

• Brian Burman - Original Music
• Michelle Handelman - Original Music
• Sugarshock - Original Music

• Todd Verow - Cinematography

• Gary Weimberg - Film Editor

• Jennifer M. Gentile - Production Design

• Jason Rail - Hair Stylist/Make-up Artist

• Tracy Thompson - Production Manager

• Erica Marcus - First Assistant Director

• Monte Cezazza - Sound Designer
• Michelle Handelman - Sound Designer

• Edwin Schenderlein - gaffer

• Elizabeth Canning - Costumer

• Steve Bloom - First Assistant Editor

• Monte Cezazza - Sound Supervisor