Documentary 'Our Mr. Matsura' Screens at Vancouver International Film Festival
Beth Harrington's film, Our Mr. Matsura, will be presented on October 4 and 5 at the Vancouver International Film Festival. The documentary focuses on Frank (Sakae) Matsura, a photographer born in 1873 into a samurai family in Hirado, Japan, who later moved to Okanogan County in Washington. Proficient in English, Matsura formed friendships with the Colville Confederated Tribes and local settlers, capturing their images. He passed away from tuberculosis at the age of 39, leaving behind a significant legacy. Curator Michael Holloman emphasizes that Matsura empowered Indigenous individuals through his art. Inspired by Matsura’s work during a visit in 2002, Harrington contrasts his authentic portrayals with idealized representations, highlighting the autonomy of his subjects amidst today's U.S. political climate.
Key facts
- Our Mr. Matsura screens 4 and 5 October at the Vancouver International Film Festival
- Frank (Sakae) Matsura lived from 1873 to 1913 and was born in Hirado, Japan, into a noble samurai family
- Matsura settled in Washington state's central Okanogan County, a mining region near the Canadian border
- He photographed both Native people of the Colville Confederated Tribes and settlers including miners, ranchers, shopkeepers and cowboys
- Matsura died of tuberculosis at age 39 and his funeral was among the largest the region had seen
- Curator Michael Holloman organised a touring exhibition of Matsura's work at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane (2023-24)
- Director Beth Harrington encountered Matsura's work during a 2002 visit to the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma and spent five years making the film
- Harrington contrasts Matsura's portraits with the romanticised imagery of Edward Curtis and others
Entities
Artists
- Frank (Sakae) Matsura
- Beth Harrington
- Michael Holloman
- Edward Curtis
- Chelsea Woodward
- Twit-mich
- Charley Leo
- Suzanne Leo
- Joe Leo
- Susan Lakekin Jim
- Moses George
Institutions
- Vancouver International Film Festival
- Argot Pictures
- Colville Confederated Tribes
- Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
- Washington State History Museum
- The Art Newspaper
Locations
- Hirado
- Japan
- United States
- Washington
- Okanogan County
- Canada
- Spokane
- Tacoma
- Vancouver
- Pacific Northwest