Between Worlds

What does it mean to capture the fragile space between belonging and not belonging? On March 24th, join Index Chinatown for an intimate evening with award-winning documentary filmmaker Megumi Nishikura as she explores this question through her body of work — and offers an intimate glimpse into what comes next.

As a mixed Japanese US-Japan dual citizenship holder, Megumi Nishikura, explores how race, nationality, and belonging intersect in the lives of those who do not fit neatly into singular definitions of nationhood.

Through clips from Hafu: The Mixed-Race Experience in Japan and Fall Seven Times, Get Up Eight: The Japanese War Brides, Nishikura traces her evolving creative practice and her enduring commitment to telling stories of those who live between worlds.

At the heart of her filmmaking is a conviction that cinema can move beyond headlines to evoke genuine empathy and shift understanding.

The evening will also feature an exclusive sneak preview of her latest film, Kokusekihou (working title) — a work in progress that confronts the rigidity of Japan’s Nationality Law and follows one woman whose life is suspended between the United States and Japan. This is a rare opportunity to engage with the film before its completion and to be part of the conversation surrounding it.

Megumi will be in conversation with Yumiko Sakuma, creating a thoughtful dialogue about art, identity, and the spaces in between.

Ticket sales will go directly toward funding the completion of Megumi’s latest film. Additional contributions can be made here.

Doors Open at 6:30pm
Conversation begins at 7:00pm

Megumi Nishikura is a documentary filmmaker whose work explores identity, belonging, and the cultural intersections between Japan and the world. Her feature documentary Hafu screened theatrically throughout Japan and aired on PBS and NipponTV. She produced Fall Seven Times,Get Up Eight: The Japanese War Brides, which aired globally on BBC World News, and in 2019 directed Minidoka a short film about the Japanese American internment experience during WWII, published by TIME magazine. When not making her own films, she works as a producer on docuseries for major streaming platforms.

Yumiko Sakuma writes about contemporary culture, art, fashion, music, and socio-political issues. Based in New York City, she is a regular contributor of reportage, interviews, and travel writing to numerous Japanese and English publications. Among the many visionaries she has interviewed are Al Gore, Robert Frank, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Rei Kawakubo, Kazuo Ishiguro, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Yayoi Kusama, Ryan McGinley, Genna Rowlands, Gary Snyder, and Les Paul.

This event is co-partnered with Astray. Astray is a storytelling project about the world and the Earth, operating at the intersection of independent publishing, decolonial education, and conscious travel. We aim to foster learning environments that centre critical engagement with place, media, and power