Customer Reviews

The Cats of Mirikitani

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's a real shame that almost no one saw this film (it never got a wide theatrical release), because it's my pick for the best film of 2007. Without giving too much away, it's a fascinating documentary about Jimmy Mirikitani, an elderly NYC steet artist of Japanese descent who is befriended, and ultimately taken in off the streets, by the documentarian herself, Linda Hattendorf.

As Linda gets to know Jimmy, and tries to find him a permanent place to live, she begins to find out about his past through his drawings and conversations with him. Meanwhile, they both experience the aftermath of 9/11 together, which reminds Jimmy of how America responded to an earlier surprise attack on American soil, and the dramatic turn of events it caused in his own life...

The Cats of Mirikitani is a deeply moving film about one person's compassion for another, a friendship that develops between them, and the fascinating unearthing of Jimmy Mirikitani's personal history. While it is primarily a personal film, it can't help but also touch on the political aspects of how our nation reacts in times of crisis, and the rippling effects this can have many years later. Jimmy Mirikitani's art is revealed as subtle political commentary based on his own poignant personal experiences.

This is a must-see film for documentary lovers and anyone who's interested in the human condition. I give it my strongest possible recommendation - do not miss The Cats of Mirikitani.

What probably started as curiosity and sympathy turns into a life experience of discovery, friendship and love - the real kind. Beautiful, haunting, true to the human spirit. This is a moving story about a street person, Jimmy Mirikitani, who turns out to be a grand master artist running from a past of the cruelties of the American Japanese internment camps. He is a passionate artist, with dual citizenship, who was born in American, educated in Japan, and eventually came back to America to pursue his passion - art, in his own style - a fusion of orient and occident. But after the cruel internment and losing his American citizenship in the process, he ends up with nothing, yet desperately continues his art. With no sense of placement in any country, he begins living on the fringes of American society. When his luck runs out, he ends up on the street. This is where the story begins. He carries a quiet anger and bitterness, yet never for one moment does he sway from his deep seeded commitment to his art. He has no self pity, he has only the integrity and beauty of the artistic vision within. The director starts filming, following his life, but then 9/11 happens and he has no where to go. She gives him a place to stay, and thus ensues the lively friendship that fills both of their lives with surprises, warmth, respect and eventually, true friendship. This ultimately offers Jimmy a vehicle for coming full circle - to a place of acceptance and healing. This is one of my favorite all-time documentaries - it's magic.

This documentary was a bit pricey, but my goodness, well worth it. After befriending Jimmy Mirikitani, the filmmaker takes us on a journey from homelessness, through the tragedy of 9/11, through Jimmy's rightful hatred for the US government (oddly enough, later on in the film he's seen wearing a baseball cap with the American flag and eagle on it!), meeting his long-lost family, revisiting the internment camp he was held captive in in Tula Lake, his acceptance of his status as an America citizen and placement in a assisted living apartment using his social security, and (through the special features) his eventual return to Hiroshima for a visit on the national day of mourning. I just finished the film and it is fresh in my mind. Tears were shed. A very emotional and rewarding documentary that I can highly recommend to everyone. Definitely a film that will remain in your heart, because it makes entry.

If the Bible were being written today, this story could go in it.
Don't miss it! A true story of injustice, pride, tragedy, comedy, and
great, great compassion. Plus a true happy ending. You will think twice
before you ever judge a street person, or anyone who is down and out.
You just don't know what amazing story may be in front of you. Among all
the excellent documentaries making the rounds of the film festivals the
past ten years, this has been the most beneficial and most memorable.

This is a wonderful documentary based on a true story. In the process of 'redeeming' a homeless neighborhood man after 9/11, Jimmy slowly redeems us by revealing his past and through his wonderful, whimsical art and personality. He celebrates his 88th birthday next week.

I was fortunate to see this film during its premiere run at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2006 (where it won the Audience Award) and have been looking for a chance to see it again ever since! What starts out as an examination of a year in the life of Jimmy Mirikitani, a homeless artist in NYC, becomes a different story when the events of 9/11 prompt the documentarian (Linda Hattendorf) to cease being just an observer and become personally involved in her subject's story. The resulting revelations of Mirikitani's personal history and treatment as a Japanese-American during WWII are heartbreaking and eye opening, which makes the process that he & Hattendorf go through in an attempt to heal old wounds and get him back on his feet even more inspirational. I've very rarely been as moved by a film as I was by this one. I can't recommend it highly enough!!

Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani is truly a "Master Artist." His art and desire to share his craft was twice interrupted by war. Luckily for Jimmy, film maker Linda Hattendorf opened her heart and her home to this once ignored and now revered American artist.


Easily a BEST OF 2007, FIVE STAR documentary.

That man you just passed on the street, the one wearing four layers of clothing and a month's worth of human smell stench? Yeah him. Do you know who he is? Or what his history might be?

These are the questions that suddenly plague New York director and documentarian Linda Hattendorf. Seeing one of these nameless faces wandering near where she lived, Linda decided to place her lens on him. His name, she quickly learns, is Jimmy Mirikitani, and his story is almost too much to believe.

A sidewalk artist who's specialty involved drawing Japanese cats and portraits of his wartime experiences, Jimmy is a complex and talented man. And when the 9/11 attacks occur only a few blocks away from Jimmy's normal homeless home-spot, Linda takes him in so that he doesn't have to choke on the dust littering the skies immediately after the collapse of the twin towers. The attacks on the twin towers also begin echoing prejudices against Muslim Americans, a prejudice that Jimmy is far too familiar with.

As Linda's cameras continue to record Jimmy's life, we learn that not only was Jimmy a peace loving man before WW II, but he also was an up-and-coming artist ...until he and his family were forced into Japanese internment camps in California. Everything was stripped away from Jimmy, including (or so he thought) his U.S. citizenship. As Linda tries to help Jimmy both mentally and financially, she runs up against Jimmy's anger and distrust of the government. Jimmy constantly refuses her requests to find out if he's eligible for social security, often sparking outbursts against the U.S. bureaucracy. His anger, it soon become apparent, is due to his internment time, his forced signing of documents relinquishing his U.S. citizen status (even though he was born in Sacramento, California), and the WW II bombing of his beloved Hiroshima (his hometown).

In his 80s, Jimmy also doesn't know what's happened to his family. He soon learns that he has plenty living in California. But opening up to them is not an easy road as his obvious mental illness intrudes upon his better judgement.

It is a poignant and memorable documentary for the simple reason that a person took the time to get to know this homeless man and uncovered a goldmine of information about an incredible person and an artist. His images are strikingly beautiful and haunting, harkening back to his time in the internment camps and his early career as a hopeful artist.

The story is what really sticks with you, too. As we watch Linda (the documentary maker) uncover layer after layer of this unique man, we don't pity him but, instead, begin to UNDERSTAND him. That's a huge revelation. We understand why Jimmy is so angry. Why he's so reluctant to get close to people. And why, eventually, he comes out of his lonesome cocoon. It is a rebirth worth watching ...and enjoying

I have decided that I will buy multiple copies of this DVD and give them as gifts to friends and family members. I just think everyone should see this film. It has everything--the simple act of authentic kindness that leads to such profound repercussions that you will feel them resonate in your soul. Ms. Hattendorf, thank you for your artistry and your humanity. Keep that camera rolling! Jimmy-san, you are a true sensei! Keep painting and teaching!

Teachers, if you do a unit on WWII/Japan/Internment camps, please include this film in your curriculum--a pictorial is worth ten thousand words....

I loved this story about this artist. He never wavered in his art, no matter the obstacles he faced or the injustices he endured..... What a wonderful man. Thank goodness for the huge heart of the filmmaker, so that we would know the story of this extraordinary human being.