The Manzanar Fishing Club

Get Showtimes + Tickets

  • Opened March 30, 2012 
  • 1 hr 14 min

  • THE MANZANAR FISHING CLUB is a feature-length documentary that chronicles the World War II internment of Japanese Americans from a unique perspective: through the eyes of those who defied the armed guards, barbed wire and searchlights to fish for trout in the surrounding waters of the Eastern Sierra. By emphasizing the evacuees’ personal stories the film shows how a courageous few were able to take back moments of dignity and freedom through the simple act of fishing. As the narrator explains,” While legal battles were being waged in faraway courtrooms, the fishermen were exercising their rights on the ground.” While the “official story” of the internment is known to some extent, THE MANZANAR FISHING CLUB sets the record straight on the largest mass roundup in American history by confronting such hot-button issues as racism, ethnic profiling and the suspension of civil liberties under a National Security rubric. Full synopsis

  • Director: Cory Shiozaki
  • Genres: Documentary

What's the Buzz?

Must Go!
Fans say Must Go!
5 fans
Read fan reviews
So-so
Critics say So-So
52 out of 100
Read critic reviews
Write your own review

Fan Reviews

Must Go!
Manzanar Fishing Club

by

Great & informative documentary. Especially for those interested in the topic at hand....

Read more fan reviews

Critic Reviews

70
Village Voice
| Michael Atkinson

The historical road less traveled - shot in re-enactments that are obviously familiar with the terrain - is beguiling enough. Read full review

50
The Hollywood Reporter
| Frank Scheck

It's a nice little human interest story, but hardly seems worthy of this full-length treatment. Read full review

50
New York Post
| Lou Lumenick

The Manzanar Fishing Club has enough interesting footage for perhaps a 15-minute segment of a TV news magazine. Beyond that, my eyes started to glaze over with endless talk about rods, reels and bait. Read full review

50
The New York Times
|

The time with these survivors is appreciated, as who knows how much longer we'll have access to this living history. But I'd rather have heard them describe something other than bait, or how their fishing rods advanced from willow to bamboo to items from the Sears catalog. Read full review

Read more critic reviews

Offers