Visas and Virtue
Encyclopedia
Visas and Virtue is a 1997 narrative short film inspired by the true story of Holocaust rescuer Chiune "Sempo" Sugihara
, who is known as "The Japanese
Schindler
". Sugihara issued over 2,000 transit visas to Polish and Lithuanian Jews
from his consulate in Kaunas
, Lithuania
, in August 1940, in defiance of his own government (Japan), thereby allowing an estimated 6,000 individuals to escape the impending Holocaust.
. It is based on an original one-act play by Tim Toyama
, which was performed at The Road Theatre Company in Los Angeles in 1995. The play was then adapted by actor/director Chris Tashima
in 1996, and completed as a 26-minute film in 1997. The film was produced by Cedar Grove Productions
with Visual Communications
serving as non-profit sponsor.
Visas and Virtue won the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film
in March, 1998 (70th Academy Awards
). The Oscar
statuettes went to actor and director Tashima and producer Chris Donahue
.
(In order of appearance)
Japan, 1985
Lithuania, 1940
Refugees at Interviews
Special Appearance
Chiune Sugihara
was a Japanese diplomat who served as Vice-Consul for the Japanese Empire in Lithuania. During World War II, he helped several thousand Jews leave the country by issuing transit visas to Jewish refugees so that they could travel to Japan. Most of the Jews who escaped were refugees from...
, who is known as "The Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
Schindler
Oskar Schindler
Oskar Schindler was an ethnic German industrialist born in Moravia. He is credited with saving over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories, which were located in what is now Poland and the Czech Republic respectively.He is the subject of the...
". Sugihara issued over 2,000 transit visas to Polish and Lithuanian Jews
Lithuanian Jews
Lithuanian Jews or Litvaks are Jews with roots in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania:...
from his consulate in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, in August 1940, in defiance of his own government (Japan), thereby allowing an estimated 6,000 individuals to escape the impending Holocaust.
Background
This film is a dramatization (docu-drama) and contains fictional characters and events. It is not a documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
. It is based on an original one-act play by Tim Toyama
Tim Toyama
Tim Toyama is a playwright and producer. He is Sansei presently living in Los Angeles, CA. He is co-founder of the Asian American media company Cedar Grove Productions, and its sister Asian American theatre company, Cedar Grove OnStage. He attended C.S.U.N...
, which was performed at The Road Theatre Company in Los Angeles in 1995. The play was then adapted by actor/director Chris Tashima
Chris Tashima
Chris Tashima is a Japanese American actor and director. He is co-founder of the entertainment company Cedar Grove Productions and Artistic Director of its Asian American theatre company, Cedar Grove OnStage. He is the son of U.S. Circuit Judge A. Wallace Tashima...
in 1996, and completed as a 26-minute film in 1997. The film was produced by Cedar Grove Productions
Cedar Grove Productions
Cedar Grove Productions is an independent production company based in Los Angeles, CA., specializing in media and theatre arts representing the Asian Pacific American community...
with Visual Communications
Visual Communications (VC)
Visual Communications – also known as VC – is a community-based non-profit media arts organization in Los Angeles, dedicated to creating, preserving and presenting Asian Pacific American history and culture through the media arts...
serving as non-profit sponsor.
Visas and Virtue won the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film
Academy Award for Live Action Short Film
This name for the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film was introduced in 1974. For the three preceding years it was known as "Short Subjects, Live Action Films." The term "Short Subjects, Live Action Subjects" was used from 1957 until 1970. From 1936 until 1956 there were two separate...
in March, 1998 (70th Academy Awards
70th Academy Awards
The 70th Academy Awards were noted for their high ratings and the 11 wins obtained by the Best Picture Titanic. Billy Crystal hosted the ceremony for the sixth time, and received an Emmy award for his performance....
). The Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
statuettes went to actor and director Tashima and producer Chris Donahue
Chris Donahue
Chris Donahue is an American film and television producer. He was born in Dallas, Texas, attended Jesuit College Preparatory, and currently resides in Los Angeles. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Producers Guild of America...
.
Synopsis
Haunted by the sight of hundreds of Jewish refugees outside the consulate gates, a Japanese diplomat and his wife, stationed in Kaunas, Lithuania, at the beginning of World War II, must decide how much they are willing to risk. Inspired by a true story, Visas and Virtue explores the moral and professional dilemmas that Consul General Chiune “Sempo” Sugihara faces in making a life or death decision: defy his own government’s direct orders and risk his career, by issuing life-saving transit visas, or obey orders and turn his back on humanity.Cast
- Chris Tashima as Chiune "Sempo" Sugihara
- Susan Fukuda as Yukiko Sugihara
- Diana GeorgerDiana GeorgerDiana Georger is an American film, television and stage actress. She received a BFA degree from Ithaca College.Georger starred in the short film Visas and Virtue, which won the 1997 Academy Award for Live Action Short Film...
as Helena Rosen - Lawrence Craig as Nathan Rosen
- Shizuko HoshiShizuko HoshiShizuko Hoshi is an American actress and theatre director living in Southern California. She is a graduate of Tokyo Women's College and University of Southern California...
as Narrator
(In order of appearance)
Japan, 1985
- Mitsushi Yamaguchi as Elderly Sempo
- Kyoko Motoyama as Elderly Yuki
Lithuania, 1940
- Colm Wood as Student #1
- Eric Gugisch as German Officer
- Alan H. Friedenthal as Refugee #1
- Patricia Penn as Refugee #2
- Richard Nakaoka, Weston Yanagihara as Sugihara Children
- Linda Igarashi as Setsuko
- Jimmy Paola as Student #2
- Kimberly Mungovan as Sugihara Baby
Refugees at Interviews
- Martin Fontana as Man
- Noel Miller as Young Man
- David Russ as Elderly Man
- Maria Stanton as Wife
- Jude Gerard Prest as Husband
- Shauna Bloom as Woman
- Gibson Frazier as Cantor
- Jon Cellini, Jonathan Klein as Brothers
- Pamela Tretter as Mother
- Jack Newalu as Man at Train Station
Special Appearance
- Hanni Vogelweid as Elderly Woman at Interview
Awards
(partial list)- Academy Award for Live Action Short Film – 70th Academy Awards
- 1st Place: Fiction Prize – USA Film Festival/Dallas
- "Francisco Garcia de Paso" Award – Huesca International Short Film Contest
- Crystal Heart Award – Heartland Film FestivalHeartland Film FestivalThe Heartland Film Festival is a film festival held each October in Indianapolis, Indiana. First held in 1992, its goal is to "recognize and honor filmmakers whose work explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life."In May 2007, Heartland...
- CINECINECINE is a consortium formulated to depict American life and thought realistically for a global audience. CINE recognizes and fosters the highest quality of non-theatrical film and video production through its semi-annual film competitions....
Golden Eagle - Special Jury Prize – Competition for Films and Videos on Japan
- "Adriano Morais" Award – Algarve International Film Festival
- Golden Shoestring Award – Rochester International Film FestivalRochester International Film FestivalThe Rochester International Film Festival is the world's oldest continually held short film festival . The annual program features narratives, documentaries and animation made by emerging filmmakers from the USA and abroad, selected by a pedigree short film jury.Based on audience surveys, the most...
- Best Short Film – Sonoma Valley Film FestivalSonoma Valley Film FestivalThe Sonoma Valley Film Festival traditionally takes place in April in Sonoma, California and is hosted by the Sonoma Valley Film Society. The 10th anniversary of the film festival in 2007 honored two-time Academy Award winning director John Lasseter of Pixar and Disney Animation studios.The 11th...
External links
- Visas and Virtue on ifilmIFilmifilm.com was an online archive of short films, movie trailers, and other video clips of interest. Ifilm.com was originally founded by independent filmmaker Raphael Raphael in 1997 as an independent film and media collective...