{"id":24,"date":"2017-09-13T22:59:52","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T22:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8888\/tadnakamura\/?page_id=24"},"modified":"2024-12-10T06:18:31","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T06:18:31","slug":"bio","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/bio\/","title":{"rendered":"Bio"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bZxz5aQHMsE\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/954368?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"504\" height=\"284\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\" title=\"Nakamura Sundance Interview on CNN TRT: 9 min.\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Tadashi Nakamura is an Emmy-award winning filmmaker and the Director of the Watase Media Arts Center, a production company of the Japanese American National Museum. Tadashi was named CNN\u2019s \u201cYoung People Who Rock\u201d for being the youngest filmmaker at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Now with over 20 years of filmmaking experience, his films include NOBUKO MIYAMOTO: A SONG IN MOVEMENT (2024), MELE MURALS (2016), JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS (2013), A SONG FOR OURSELVES (2009), and PILGRIMAGE (2006). He is currently working on THIRD ACT (2025), about his pioneering filmmaker father, Robert A. Nakamura, and his current battle with Parkinson\u2019s Disease.<\/p>\n<p>Tadashi has an M.A. in Social Documentation from UC Santa Cruz and a B.A. in Asian American Studies from UCLA. He made the DOC NYC \u201840 Under 40\u2019 list in 2019 and was a 2020-2022 Firelight Media Documentary Lab Fellows and a 2022-2023 Sundance Asian American Fellow. He was a mentor for the 2024 CAAM Fellowship and recipient of the 2024 Rockwood Documentary Leaders Fellowship.<\/p>\n<h2>EDUCATION<\/h2>\n<p>Master of Arts, Social Documentation<br \/>\nUniversity of California, Santa Cruz<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_style_2\">Bachelor of Arts, Asian American Studies, Summa Cum Laude<br \/>\nUniversity of California, Los Angeles<\/p>\n<div id=\"id6\" class=\"style_SkipStroke shape-with-text\">\n<div class=\"text-content graphic_textbox_layout_style_default_External_704_1111\">\n<div class=\"graphic_textbox_layout_style_default\">\n<h2>AWARDS<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Sundance Institute Asian American Fellow, 2022<\/li>\n<li>Official Selection &#8211; American Film Showcase,\u00a0<em>Atomic Caf\u00e9: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town<\/em>\u00a02021<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Short, <em>Atomic Caf\u00e9: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town<\/em>, Austin Asian American Film Festival, 2021<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Short, <em>Atomic Caf\u00e9: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town<\/em>, Asian American Film Festival of Oregon, 2021<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Short, <em>Atomic Caf\u00e9: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town<\/em>, Highland Park Independent Film Festival, 2021<\/li>\n<li>Honorable Mention,\u00a0<em>Atomic Caf\u00e9: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town, <\/em>RiverRun Film Festival, 2021<\/li>\n<li>Firelight Media Fellow, 2020-2022<\/li>\n<li>Emmy Award, Los Angeles Area &#8211; Arts, <em>Masters of Modern Design: The Art of the Japanese American Experience<\/em>, 2020<\/li>\n<li>40 Filmmakers Under 40 \u2013 DOC NYC Film Festival, 2019<\/li>\n<li>Emmy Award Nomination, Northern California Area &#8211; Cultural\/Historical Documentary, <em>Mele Murals<\/em>, 2018<\/li>\n<li>Inspirational Filmmaker Award \u2013 Watsonville Film Festival, 2017<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Feature, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> &#8211; One Nation Film Festival, 2017<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Feature, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> \u2013 Asian American Film Festival of Oregon, 2017<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Feature, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> &#8211; Guam International Film Festival, 2016<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Feature, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> &#8211; Monarch Film Festival, 2016<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Audience Award, <em>Mele Murals <\/em>\u2013 Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival, 2017<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Audience Award, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> &#8211; Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, 2016<\/li>\n<li>Best Documentary Audience Award, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> &#8211; CAAMFest San Jose, 2016<\/li>\n<li>Special Jury Award, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> &#8211; International Pacific Documentary Film Festival, 2017<\/li>\n<li>Special Jury Award, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> &#8211; Hawai&#8217;i International Film Festival, 2016<\/li>\n<li>Special Jury Award, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> &#8211; Santa Cruz Film Festival, 2016<\/li>\n<li>Best Editing, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> \u2013 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, 2017<\/li>\n<li>Official Selection &#8211; American Film Showcase, <em>Mele Murals<\/em>, 2017<\/li>\n<li>Keepers of Culture Award, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> \u2013 Fist Up Film Festival, 2017<\/li>\n<li>Remi Special Jury Award, <em>Mele Murals<\/em> \u2013 WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, 2017<\/li>\n<li>National Endowment for the Arts Media Arts grant for production of\u00a0<em>Mele Murals<\/em>, 2015<\/li>\n<li>Emerging Filmmaker Award, Sacramento Japanese Film Festival, 2014<\/li>\n<li>Film Audience Award, Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings \u2013 Gotham Independent Film Awards, 2013<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Documentary Audience Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style\">Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2013<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Editor,\u00a0<span class=\"style\">Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2013<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Documentary Audience Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style\">Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Ashland Independent Film Festival 2013<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Honorable Mention,\u00a0<span class=\"style\">Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 Columbus International Film &amp; Video Festival 2012<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Honorable Mention,\u00a0<span class=\"style\">Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings\u00a0<\/span>&#8211; UrbanWorld Film Festival, 2012<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Medium Length Film,\u00a0<span class=\"style\">Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 DocuWest Film Festival 2012<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Official Selection &#8211; American Film Showcase,\u00a0<span class=\"style\">Pilgrimage<\/span>, 2012<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Awarded National Endowment for the Arts filmmaker&#8217;s grant for production of\u00a0<span class=\"style\">Jake Shimaburo: Life On Four Strings<\/span>, 2011<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_5\">JACL Pacific Southwest District 2010 Community Honoree Award<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Documentary Short,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 RiverRun Film Festival, 2010<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Gold Remi Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 WorldFest-Houston International Film &amp; Video Festival, 2010<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Documentary Film,\u00a0\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Pomona Valley Film Festival, 2010<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Audience Choice Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves\u00a0<\/span>&#8211; Pomona Valley Film Festival, 2010<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Gold Kahuna Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 Honolulu Film Festival, 2010<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Documentary Film, ,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 Bronx Independent Film Festival, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Documentary Short Film,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Urbanworld Film Festival, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Short Documentary,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Cine Golden Eagle Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 Documentary Short, Independent Division, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Special Jury Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 San Diego Asian Film Festival, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Best Short Film,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Austin Asian American Film Festival, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">Honorable Mention,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">A Song For Ourselves<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 Columbus International Film + Video Festival, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_4\">30 Most Influential Asian American Under 30, Angry Asian Man.com, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_3\">Ebata Memorial Community Artist Award, 2009<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_8\">CNN\u2019s Young People Who Rock, 2008<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_7\">Official Selection \u2013 Sundance Film Festival,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Pilgrimage<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Sundance Film Festival, 2008<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_7\">Best Director,<span class=\"style_1\">\u00a0Pilgrimage<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Show Off Your Shorts Film Festival, 2008<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_7\">Best Documentary,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Pilgrimage<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Show Off Your Shorts Film Festival, 2008<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_7\">Best Editor,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Pilgrimage<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Show Off Your Shorts Film Festival, 2008<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_9\">Best Historical Short Film,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Pilgrimage<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; FirstGlance Film Festival, 2008<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_7\">New Directors \/ New Visions Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Pilgrimage<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, 2007<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_7\">Best Documentary Short Jury Prize,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Pilgrimage\u00a0<\/span>&#8211; Sacramento Film &amp; Music Festival, 2007<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_7\">Best Documentary Short,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Pilgrimage<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Asian Film Festival of Dallas, 2007<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_7\">Best Student Film,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Pilgrimage<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; Honolulu International Film Festival, 2007<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_3\">Best Documentary Short Award,\u00a0<span class=\"style_1\">Yellow Brotherhood<\/span>\u00a0&#8211; San Diego Asian Film Festival, 2004<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_3\">Chancellor\u2019s Service Award &#8211; University of California, Los Angeles, June 2003<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_3\">Yuri Kochiyama Award &#8211; University of California, Los Angeles, June 2003<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_3\">Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, 2003<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_3\">Golden Key Honor Society, 2002<\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph_style_3\">National Society of Collegiate Scholars, 2000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tadashi Nakamura is an Emmy-award winning filmmaker and the Director of the Watase Media Arts Center, a production company of the Japanese American National Museum. Tadashi was named CNN\u2019s \u201cYoung People Who Rock\u201d for being the youngest filmmaker at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Now with over 20 years of filmmaking experience, his films include NOBUKO MIYAMOTO: A SONG IN MOVEMENT (2024), MELE MURALS (2016), JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS (2013), A SONG FOR OURSELVES (2009), and PILGRIMAGE (2006). He is currently working on THIRD ACT (2025), about his pioneering filmmaker father, Robert A. Nakamura, and his current battle with Parkinson\u2019s Disease. Tadashi has an M.A. in Social Documentation from UC Santa Cruz and a B.A. in Asian American Studies from UCLA. He made the DOC NYC \u201840 Under 40\u2019 list in 2019 and was a 2020-2022 Firelight Media [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-24","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1777,"href":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24\/revisions\/1777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tadashinakamura.com\/beta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}