Greetings from the DOCUTAH Film Festival in St. George, UT!Mrs. Judo: Be Strong Be Gentle Be Beautiful kicked off its film festival tour this fall amidst beautiful red rock scenery and wonderful films.
It was great to be here, but now the film is off to its next stop: the Cincinnati International Film Festival, where it will screen on both September 9th & 10th.Be sure to check our "Screenings & Events" page often to see if Mrs. Judo is coming to a theater near you!
Kayla Harrison will bring home gold, Marti Malloy will bring home bronze, Kaori Matsumoto will take home gold to Japan. There are many new women heroines all over the world today. This is wonderful news for Fukuda Sensei, the first judo heroine, who has devoted her life to spreading judo globally, particularly to women. There was a celebration of women martial artists in Berkeley yesterday. Fukuda Sensei was guest instructor (at 99!) for the annual summer camp of the Pacific Association of Women Martial Artists. Sensei received another standing ovation after a screening of “Mrs. Judo” where the campers learned of her life journey and commitment to women’s judo.
Today, an American woman made history at the 2012 London Olympics by winning the USA’s first Olympic gold medal in judo!After winning the gold, Kayla Harrison, a 22-year-old woman from Ohio, is being touted by the LA Times as “America’s new sweetheart” and the “golden girl of judo.”Harrison’s gold medal victory is not only a pivotal moment in her own life, but a monumental occasion for all women and girls in judo.Please join us in congratulating Kayla Harrison on her amazing accomplishment!To read more about Harrison’s win, see more press coverage here:“Kayla Harrison earns first U.S. judo gold,” Washington Post“USA’s Kayla Harrison claims gold medal in judo,” USA Today“Kayla Harrison wins judo gold,” ESPN
The Commonwealth Club of California is hosting an event at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, May 16 featuring 99-year-old Keiko Fukuda, the highest ranking woman in judo history. The event begins at 6:00 pm and will be held at the Commonwealth Club of California, which is located in downtown San Francisco.In addition to featuring Keiko Fukuda in person, the event will also include excerpts from the film Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful, which made its world premiere at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival in March. The director of the film, Yuriko Gamo Romer, will also be in attendance to discuss the film.As an added bonus, Fukuda's judo students from the Soko Joshi Judo Club (the dojo Fukuda founded) will also present a live judo demonstration during the event.For more information & to purchase tickets, visit the Commonwealth Club site here.
A huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended the world premiere on Sunday, March 11 at the Castro Theater!We were overwhelmed by the incredible turnout & by all of your support. It was truly amazing!If you attended the premiere & loved it, please vote for our film, which is competing for an award in the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival's "Documentary Category."***Text JUDO to 96035***For those who weren't able to attend the premiere, don't forget there is another screening in San Jose on March 18 at 2pm. Click here to purchase tickets and for more details.
Just days before our world premiere, ABC 7 News in San Francisco did a news segment highlighting our film, Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful.Click here to check out this great segment!And if you are planning to attend the world premiere this Sunday, March 11 at 3pm at The Castro Theater, please don't forget to change your clocks one hour forward on March 11.
Due to high demand, the world premiere of Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful has been moved to the historic Castro Theater in San Francisco, CA.The San Francisco screening will now take place at 3:00 pm on Sunday, March 11, 2012. (The San Jose premiere date/time on March 18 remains the same.)To buy tickets and for more information, please visit the official San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival website.*(Please note that the day of the film premiere - March 11 - also marks Daylight Savings Time beginning at 2am. Please make sure to change your clocks 1 hour ahead, so that you're not late for the premiere!)
We have very exciting news! Our film, Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful will make its world premiere on Sunday, March 11, 2012!It will be showcased at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival in San Francisco, CA. The festival, which runs from March 8-18, is is the largest and most prestigious showcase for new Asian American and Asian films in North America, so we are very proud to be a part of it!If you are interested in coming to the film's premiere, please visit the ticket website to purchase tickets online. Mrs. Judo: Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful will be shown at 2:30 pm on March 11, 2012 in San Francisco at the San Francisco Film Society Cinema at New People. It will also be shown at 2:00 pm on March 18, 2012 in San Jose at Camera 3 Cinemas.
We hope to see you there! If you can't make it, please visit the film's website regularly to view future screening dates, as well as the news about the DVD release later this year. Thanks to everyone for all of your support!Warmly,The BSBGBB Team
Exciting news! Our film is premiering soon - sometime in March (more details soon) - and we are scrambling to finish it up.Funds are still needed in these final stages of post-production, so if you weren't able to donate to our Kickstarter campaign, or if you are feeling extra generous, please consider donating by clicking the PayPal button on the right side of the screen.Thank you to everyone who has generously contributed and gotten us to this point! We couldn't have done it without you.
This week we added a new pledge level and great new reward to our Kickstarter campaign for Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful. Visit our page today or check out the blurb below for details.Pledge $650 or more (Limited Reward - Only 3 Available)Two beautiful vintage black-and-white photographic prints of Keiko Fukuda practicing judo (kata forms) in 1974. The prints will come mounted and signed by both Fukuda and the photographer, Cathy Cade. Also, a copy of the finished film on DVD signed by the filmmaker, your name listed in the film's credits, and a "Thank You" on the film's website.
Again, thank you to all of our wonderful backers for pledging already. Please spread the word & help us reach - and exceed - our goal!
We've just launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to help us finish the film "Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful." Kickstarter is a deadline-driven, all-or-nothing, crowdsourcing, fundraising platform.We only have 50 days to raise $15,000. If we don't reach our goal, we won't make a penny and your donation will not be processed. So, please visit our Kickstarter campaign page today and consider making a donation. Every amount is appreciated! And even better news - there are fun "rewards" for varying degrees of pledges.Please spread the word! Tell all your friends and family about our Kickstarter campaign. Help us finish the film and carry on Fukuda Shihan's legacy.
Last week, USA Judo promoted Fukuda Sensei to 10th dan, the highest black belt level in judo. She has now earned the esteemed title "Shihan" (grand master).Join us in congratulating Fukuda Shihan on this monumental achievement!Check out the article that the San Francisco Chronicle published on Saturday for more details on the promotion, as well as a previous article with more details on Fukuda Shihan's life and the upcoming film "Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful," which chronicles her journey in achieving judo history.
On Monday, the San Francisco Chronicle published an article and photo slideshow featuring Fukuda Sensei, as well as the upcoming film "Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful." Make sure to check it out and share it with your friends.
On Sunday, April 17, 2011, Fukuda Sensei was the Honorary Grand Marshal in San Francisco's Cherry Blossom Parade. This year marked the 44th year of the annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, which celebrates Japanese and Japanese American culture.
Sensei enjoyed watching cultural dance and music performances as her car traveled the parade route from City Hall to Japantown.
As the announcers introduced Fukuda Sensei, the crowd cheered and clapped. She was also interviewed by a news crew.
Once her car reached Japantown, Sensei enjoyed watching the parade from the stage and meeting some of her fans afterward.
The world is so blessed to have Fukuda Sensei's love and wisdom. And San Francisco is blessed to have her presence! At 98 she still teaches at Soko Joshi Judo in Noe Valley. Come to Japantown, Sunday April 17th as Fukuda Sensei will be the grand marshal for this year's Cherry Blossom Parade!Last Sunday, Sensei sat on stage as a group of women from Soko Joshi gave their judo demonstration. Sensei graced the crowd with her words of encouragement to join in and practice judo, and most importantly to live with physical/mental strength; be gentle and flexible moving through life; and let your innermost beauty shine through to live and create a harmonious and peaceful community.
Much honor is being bestowed upon Fukuda Sensei! First, in February the Japanese American Cultural Society (Hokka Nichi Bei Kai) honored her and installed her in their Cultural Hall of Fame. Then on March 26th she will be honored by the National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) for her lifetime achievement of judo. Then on Sunday April 17th she will be a Grand Marshal of the San Francisco Cherry Blossom Parade! Please come out and join the festivities at the parade!In the meantime the film marches forward. Thank you to all who have contributed in any number of ways! The cash contributions have now topped $7,800! The fundraising continues until the film is complete, so any and all contributions, connections, introductions, ideas, etc are highly appreciated. The plan is to finish this year, 2011! Fukuda Sensei will be 98 on April 12. It won't be ready for her birthday, but hopefully during her 98th year.
The crowds came through, 62 contributors! $6,336.10 raised for "Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful." Beyond the dollars and cents, the film also has new wealth of information, ideas, connections, referrals and an in-kind donation to update the editing system into the 21st century! Please check out this nice article about the film in the Los Angeles Japanese American newspaper, the Rafu Shimpo: http://rafu.com/news/2011/01/strong-gentle-beautiful/Thank you all for your generosity and infusion of spirit, 2011 is definitely the year!
View our new 2-minute trailer and check up on our progress of our YEAR-END TAX DEDUCTIBLE fundraising campaign. Please consider making a contribution and helping us to reach the first editing milestone.Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful reflects back as 2010 draws to a close. In January she brought together judo-ka in the Bay area for the annual New Year’s tradition of Kagami-biraki. Fukuda Sensei celebrated her 97th birthday in April, and she continues to teach three days a week at her dojo, Soko Joshi Judo. In July she held the 36th year of her summer Joshi Judo Camp. And the Fukuda Invitational Kata Tournament celebrated its 22nd anniversary in October.Every moment I spend with her, I am nurtured by Fukuda Sensei’s wisdom and love. I feel honored and lucky to be making this film. Keiko Fukuda Sensei, lives her commitment daily to her master Jigoro Kano, to spread the wisdom and beauty of judo around the world. She also lives every facet of her life by her motto: “Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful”. Please help her to live her commitment bigger, further, and longer by making a contribution to the film. And thank you for all the support, stories, and contributions that have already been made!
2009 was a very big year for Fukuda Sensei, and for the film. In October the film crew traveled to Tokyo with her, where she attended the Kodokan All Japan Kata Tournament, as their honored guest. Keiko Fukuda, 9th dan, is the only woman sitting at the head table, along with the three living 10th dan men. It was a truly amazing experience for us to be able to document Fukuda Sensei's first trip to Japan, in over 20 years.One week after her return from Japan, November 8, 2009 Fukuda Sensei was honored again. Nine martial arts schools from the bay area, demonstrated judo, kung-fu, karate, capoeira, naginata and more! It was a festive event and helped to raise over $2,000 for the film! We are now looking to raise the rest of the funds, and finish the film in 2010.
Please join us this Sunday, November 8th for fundraising event honoring 96-year old Keiko Fukudo, the subject of Flying Carp's latest documentary Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful. This evemt will feature martial arts performances of Judo, Karate, Aikido, Kung Fu and more.Event SpecificsPlace: Mills College Gym, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CATime:Sunday, November 8, 3-5PM