On behalf of filmmaker Yuriko Gamo Romer, I am writing to announce the launch of the community engagement series for MRS JUDO: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful, a poignant film that documents the life-long journey of Keiko Fukuda who chose to defy thousands of years of tradition, determine her own path, and became judo history’s only woman to attain the pinnacle 10th degree.
In the Judo Moment – a film screening and community panel will be held on Thursday, August 15, at 7 pm at the Asian Art Museum, located in the Civic Center plaza in San Francisco. The event will begin with a screening of the film, followed by a demonstration of “Ju-no-kata”, a signature form of Fukuda-Sensei. A community panel will follow featuring filmmaker Yuriko Gamo Romer,and guests 2012 Olympic medalist Marti Malloy, historian Amy Fujiwara Shen,and judo instructor Wilina Monar of Soko Joshi Dojo in Noe Valley. We welcome the chance to touch on judo as a world sport, its transmission of Japanese culture, and Fukuda-Sensei’s legacy for women in sports.
Join us early to visit the current exhibition In The Moment: Japanese Art from the Larry Ellison Collection at the museum. A special evening admission is $5 from 5 to 9 pm; and free to museum members. Seating is available on a first come first serve basis.
Helpful texts, links, photos, and social media posts will make it easy to plug and play our messages in your own format. Attached is our signature still from the film, which can be used as a graphic across all channels.
MRS JUDO will be shown as part of community screenings in various cities. The next scheduled event will be held on Saturday, November 16th at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. If you can continue to help us spread the word or know of other communities that may be interested in hosting an event, please email community outreach coordinator Jill Shiraki at jshiraki@sbcglobal.net
We hope that you will be able to join us at this community engagement launch event.
- IN THE JUDO MOMENT | Community Engagement Launch | Asian Art Museum
A Film and Community Panel with Yuriko Gamo Romer
Thursday, August 15th, 2013, 7 pm - Special event: $5 for museum entry from 5 to 9 pm; free to AAM members.
Seating available on a first-come-first-served basis. - Film Website
Trailer - LOG LINE: Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful documents the life-long journey of Keiko Fukuda’s decision to defy thousands of years of tradition, choose her own path, and become the only woman in history to attain judo’s pinnacle of 10th degree black belt.
- SHORT SYNOPSIS
In 2011 Keiko Fukuda broke through a glass ceiling for women when she became the first woman to be awarded the judo’s pinnacle 10th degree black belt.
Fukuda was born into an upper-class samurai family in Tokyo, where the path for women was to marry. But Fukuda’s life was predestined two generations earlier when her grandfather (a jiujitsu master) became the first teacher for Jigoro Kano, who went on to develop judo. When she was 21, Fukuda was invited by Kano, to join the newly formed women’s division of the Kodokan (the home of judo).
In 1966, Fukuda immigrated to the U.S. and settled in San Francisco during the height of the women’s movement and opened her own judo club. One of her students, Dr. Shelley Fernandez was the president of NOW. Fernandez took on the cause of judo inequality for women and petitioned to have Fukuda promoted to 6th degree after she was frozen at 5th degree for 30 years.
In July of 2011 Fukuda broke the last glass ceiling when she was awarded the tenth degree, with no higher to be achieved as a woman or a man.
Fukuda passed on February 9, 2013. She was 99 years old, and had taught judo in San Francisco until just before her death. She was the last direct student of Judo’s founder, Jigoro Kano.
MRS JUDO will be shown as part of community screenings in various cities. The next scheduled event will be held on Saturday, November 16th at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. If you can continue to help us spread the word or know of other communities that may be interested in hosting an event, please email community outreach coordinator .
Mrs Judo on Facebook
The Facebook event for the film screening at the Asian Art Museum
Mrs Judo on Twitter
Filmmaker Yuriko Gamo Romer on Twitter