FINDING SUN YAT SEN

AIRING SATURDAY, JULY 21 on PBS HAWAII

8:30 PM

http://web.mac.com/jtrey31/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html

Empower young people with tools to express themselves, and let them tell an important story.  The result will be an educational experience worthy of the community’s attention and the creation of learning opportunities for others.

          Thus, ‘Iolani and Wai`anae high schools joined their talents.  Finding Sun Yat-Sen will be broadcast on PBS Hawaii, and appear in the Shanghai International Film Festival and the Hawaii International Film Festival.

           The project’s executive producer Melanie Kosaka wanted to do a documentary about Sun Yat-Sen with a fresh, more edgy tone. PBS Hawai`i had received a grant from the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism for a collaborative media project on China.

          “In China, there have been a lot of historical documentaries on Sun Yat-Sen’s life,” Kosaka said.  “But we wanted a student’s perspective on the experiences he had in high school and in Hawai`i. We thought, ‘Why don’t we tell a good story from a personal view?’”

          Kosaka approached ‘Iolani in early 2006 with the hope that students skilled in research and writing would be inspired to learn more about a charismatic leader who was about their age when he first saw the world beyond China.  She then got Wai`anae and their Emmy-award winning Seariders involved.

          ‘Iolani students worked on the documentary as an independent study project under the guidance of ‘Iolani Director of Studies Dr. Deborah Hall  and Lower School science teacher Ellen Gaylor.  They visited Bishop Museum, met with several sources, read history books and articles, watched videos and talked to descendants of those who knew Sun Yat-Sen.

          They interviewed Steven Ai ’72, president of the Sun Yat-Sen Hawaii Foundation and a member of the ‘Iolani Board of Governors. Steven Ai is the grandson of Chung Kun Ai (1865-1961), who was an ‘Iolani classmate of Sun Yat Sen’s and a dedicated supporter during the early years of the revolutionary movement.

            In January 2007. the students from 'Iolani and Waianae traveled to China to interview and document additional sources for this fascinating documentary. They visited the new Sun Yat Sen Museum in Hong Kong and his hometown Cuiheng Village in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province. They also traveled to Nanjing, Shanghai and Beijing.

          Now, a new generation is inspired by Sun Yat-Sen's courage and worldwide vision. On the journey to find out more about Sun Yat Sen, they discovered more about their own lives. 

Don't miss Finding Sun Yat Sen on PBS Hawaii, channel 10, July 21 at 8:30 p.m.