Just learned about this independent film project, A Crossroad Called Manzanar. It's a completed feature-length screenplay written by Cindy Fang and Alice Kim, currently in pre-production as an adapted short film version with a grant from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program.

Set in the months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the film is about two best friends who spend their final moments together, not realizing their lives will soon forever changed by the Japanese American internment.

According to the Artistic Statement, the filmmakers were inspired to make this film when they came across the 1941 TIME-Life magazine article, "How to Tell Japs From the Chinese," a primer on how to physically distinguish between Japanese enemies and Chinese friends. The film attempts to explore how anti-Japanese bigotry during World War II might have affected other Asian American groups.

They're currently seeking Asian American actors for several key roles in the film. Here's the casting call posted on the website:

Seeking Asian American Actors
September 2, 2009

Our next casting session will be the weekend of Sept. 12th, 2009. We are currently casting for the following roles:

LI CHAN (30's-40's, Chinese American) - A stay-at-home mother who preoccupies herself with the war effort in an attempt to escape domestic discord. Hails from a multi-generational Chinese American family. Must be a native English speaker. This is a speaking role.

SAM CHAN (30's-40's, Chinese American) - A professor at a nearby college who wants to protect his family from the anti-Japanese violence going on around town. Must be a native English speaker. This is a speaking role.

This production is signed under the SAG Short Film Agreement. If you or someone you know is interested, contact us at info@manzanarfilm.com. Please include a headshot and resume.

Pass it along. As an independent film, they are, of course, still looking for help with funding the project. To learn how you can help A Crossroad Called Manzanar, go here. I can't wait to see how this project turns out. For more information, visit the film's website here.