Face to Face: Stories from the Aftermath of Infamy
First-person stories connect the experiences of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor with the experiences of Arab and Muslim Americans following the events of September 11, 2001.
What does it mean to be an American with the face of the enemy? The stories of 18 people are woven together in a poetic narrative that provides unexpected connections between individuals from different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, and genders. The site represents a special new media venture presented by the Independent Television Service. Collaborating with documentary filmmaker Rob Mikuriya, the site is designed to meld traditional filmmaking with the strengths of interactive media in an original program format distributed exclusively online. Linear narratives edited from interview footage are joined together in a non-linear format that enables visitors to make their own connections and unexpected discoveries. The visitor can choose to watch and listen to stories in an autoplay mode, or jump thematically through clusters of different individuals speaking about similar experiences of fear, anger, loyalty, and other topics. An index allows the user to find specific people, themes, and clips. Glossary and Activities sections encourage visitors to learn more about Japanese American and Arab American culture, and reflect on issues of democracy, prejudice, and citizenship in times of national crisis.