Watching: Api (April, 1949)

Overview

Too often, we forget what and who has come before us. Do we exist because of our corporeal forms, or have we long existed in our ancestor’s dreams and prayers? Api (April, 1949) is a one-take recorded translation of a man’s proposal letter and firm vision of life through love. Penned after my paternal grandfather’s time in a forced labor camp during WWII, Api (April, 1949) is a reconstruction of his bid for agency during a time of oppression and destruction. Both an homage to his dreams and prayers and a critical interpretation of values and authority, this film is an interpretation of generational inheritance and reclamation.