United By Rice Episode 47 - Will Yun Lee & James Takata Discuss Their New Film "California Scenario" скачать в хорошем качестве

United By Rice Episode 47 - Will Yun Lee & James Takata Discuss Their New Film "California Scenario"

Just ahead of the world premiere of “California Scenario” at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Junko and Ben sit down with star Will Yun Lee and director James Takata to explore a film that is as intimate as it is quietly profound. At its core, “California Scenario” is a coming-of-middle-age love story between two single parents who meet while bringing their children to Isamu Noguchi’s sculpture garden—a space shaped by Noguchi’s own experience of incarceration during World War II. But as Will and James reveal, the film reaches far beyond romance, confronting generational trauma rooted in Japanese American and Jewish histories of internment, the lingering impact of divorce on families, and the role art plays in helping us process what we inherit. Junko and Ben reflect on the emotional power of the film, Will’s remarkably vulnerable performance, and why stories like this feel especially urgent right now. Along the way, they also catch up on recent Oscar snubs, Ben openly acknowledges his long-standing mancrush on Will Yun Lee, and the two share a candid conversation about identity, fatherhood, healing, and creative courage. This episode captures everything that defines United By Rice—honest reflection, cultural context, and meaningful conversations with artists telling stories that matter. “California Scenario” premieres February 7 at SBIFF.