4:45 - 7:30
Creating Peace from War - Marking 80 Years After Hiroshima
Please join the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco, the San Francisco-Osaka Sister City Association and the Japantown Cultural District for a special film event.
Paper Lanterns, a documentary film directed by Barry Frechette, followed by a discussion with producer Nobuko Saito Cleary.
- Doors Open: 5:00 PM
- Program: 5:30-7:30 pm
Special Greetings
- Kotaro Otsuki, Consul General of Japan in San Francisco
- Michael Lambert, San Francisco City Librarian
- Misako Sack, San Francisco-Osaka Sister City Association Executive Director
- Emceed by Dr. Emily Murase
About the Film
Paper Lanterns, directed by Barry Frechette and produced by Nobuko Saito Cleary, follows the lifework of atomic bomb survivor Shigeaki Mori to track down the last 2 families of the 12 American soldiers who, along with an estimated 140,000 Japanese people, perished instantly in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. By following Mori’s quest to reach the families of American POWs Normand Brissette and Ralph Neal, casualties of the bombing, the film documents key elements of creating peace from war, depicting themes of empathy across countries, intercultural understanding, and the power of healing.
About the Film Director and Producer
Barry Frechette, Film Director, is an advertising professional with over 30 years of experience in Boston’s production community. He currently serves as the Director of Creative Services at Connelly Partners. Barry’s work has received top industry accolades such as the Effie Awards, the Cannes Lions Awards, and the National Emmy. While much of his work focuses on creating television ads and branded content, he was deeply moved by the story of Mr. Mori and the 12 American POWs in Hiroshima, which compelled him to bring their story to the screen. “Paper Lanterns” is his first documentary film. A 1992 graduate of Stonehill College, Barry lives in Billerica, Massachusetts, with his family.
Nobuko Saito Cleary, Film Producer, who has dedicated herself to global peace, is a cross-cultural consultant, film producer, and longtime advocate for U.S.-Japan relations, spanning diplomacy, education, and culture. In recent years, she has brought Paper Lanterns to audiences around the world, including the UN Headquarters in New York, the UN Office in Geneva, APEC, Community School of Music and Arts, Stanford University, Rice University, the WTO’s “Trade for Peace” dialogue and many more. She served as a panelist at the 2025 Paper Lanterns screening held by the UN University with former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, whose lifework is focused on nonproliferation and a permanent end to nuclear war. Ms. Saito Cleary’s commitment to peace-building and cultural remembrance has earned her recognition from organizations, including the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and the Government of Japan, which awarded her the Order of the Rising Sun with Silver Rays. In 2025, she received the Humanitarian Award from the Japan Society of Northern California, the West Coast’s leading forum on U.S.-Japan relations since 1905.
Poster Exhibit
Eight posters from the film will be on display in the Koret Lobby prior to the screening.
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Weaving Stories is the Library's celebration of the many diverse histories and cultures from AANHPI communities.
Japanese Interest
Connect to engaging discussions and performances related to the Japanese community and culture.