Valor with Honor

"The Last Stories of these heroic men..............."

442ndItalyPOW

Information: Valor with Honor is an independent documentary film based on over 35 interviews of Japanese American veterans who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during WW2. This small segregated unit of 3500 men (field strength)is the most decorated American unit in WW2 for its size and length of service (3 years). By the end of WW2, the 442nd would be awarded with 7 Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals of Honor (upgraded from DSC), over 500 Silver Stars, and over 9000 Purple Hearts. The 85 minute feature film tells the harrowing stories of 442nd's battles in Italy, the Lost Battalion Rescue in France, the assault up Mount Folgorito, and witness to the holocaust at Dachau, Germany at the close of WW2. The film concludes with the vets bittersweet return home to America. The film is carried through stories told by the veterans themselves. Valor with Honor has been in production for over 3 years. Screenings in Los Angeles, San Jose, and Hawaii are being planned for 2010. Link to our Facebook film page for online updates and news about this documentary film.

Trailer: Valor with Honor

Valor with Honor 2010-2011 Screening Updates:

February 5th, 2011 Japanese American National Musuem Los Angeles, California: Saturday at 2pm

Organizations that are interested in hosting a community screening or fundraiser with Valor with Honor. Please contact Torasan Films.

Valor with Honor will be sold as a dvd through this website or at special events starting late 2010.

Torasan Films, PO BOX 640831, San Jose, California, 95164

torasanfilms@yahoo.com

Upcoming Events/News:

5/16/09 Last shoot for reenactment footage for combat scenes. Actors and extras will be filmed moving through the forest in WW2 era costumes. The footage will be edited in between the interviews and credits. The shoot will be filmed at the Sequoia Paint Ball park in Santa Cruz County. No pyrotechnics will be used due to safety and fire danger issues. Digital special effects will be utilized only. Thanks to Sequoia Paintball Park, What Price Glory, Sgt Eddie Collis, and Spartan Imports for their help in this phase of the film project.
5/31/09 The shoot went well at the Sequoia Paintball Park. Dino Tsai provided the shuttle service to the park. Danny Inouye provided the extra packs and weapons to help with the shoot. Larry Kitagawa helped with the shot selection and camera work. Shin Tsurushima, Danny Inouye, Osum Cheung, and Mike Nagao were the extras who soldiered on through the shoot. Mahalo! Thanks to you all!
7/18/09 Focus groups will prescreen the film to help edit the final cut. Screenings will be planned for late 2009. The dvd will be released soon after. An educational dvd will include research materials on the 442nd.
9/18/09 A small focus group panel watched the rough final cut of the film. The groups response was very positive and offered comments to help the final editing. "The film did not seem like 90 minutes" commented one panel member who liked the detailed interviews.
9/22/09 Post production: sound and color are going to be digitally remastered to design the final cut. Preparations for locating a venue in the San Francisco Bay Area.
10/23/09 Sad news: Dino Tsai our shuttle driver and production assistant past away from an apparent heart attack at age 36. His help to the reenactment shoots was invaluable. Dino's name will appear in the final credits of Valor with Honor.
12/14/09 Continuing remastering of final cut with first color then sound remastering. Various organizations are being contacted for future film screening fundraisers for 2010. An educational short version (30 minute) is being planned for release in 2010 to universities and high schools.
2/14/10 Several venues are being set with host organizations in San Jose, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Dates and times are TBA. The two minute trailer was screened at the FFNV luncheon.
3/23/10 Placer JACL showing "Valor With Honor" in Auburn, Calif. on June 24, 2010 as a fundraiser for a monument to honor these WW II heroes in Placer County. See http://placerjacl.org
4/16/10 San Francisco community screening "Valor with Honor" Sunday June 13th, 2010 at the JCCCNC in Japantown SF. Time: 1pm, Short Q&A session and refreshments will be after the film.
6/13/10 The JCCCNC SF Japantown screening was attended by roughly 55 people of all ages. An emotional Q&A session followed with the vets giving thanks to the film maker for his efforts.
6/25/10 A large turnout (200 plus)for the 442nd Memorial fundraiser in Auburn, California. Some of the audience were weeping when they exited the theater. Over 10,000 dollars were raised for the 442nd memorial project. More shows in 2010 will be planned in the San Jose and Sacramento area.

Visit Facebook for the Valor with Honor group page