MOMMY OR DADDY? / JAPAN / LOUISIANA PREMIERE

After being alienated from her child in the aftermath of her divorce, a Filipino-Japanese mother finds she is not alone on her journey to be reunited with her son. She faces up to her own demons and joins a global generational cause – the right of all children to be loved by both parents.

Directors' Statements:

John H. LaDue Jr:

Growing up in Japan to parents who worked in orphanages, I was surrounded by Japanese children alienated from loved ones. From a young age I saw firsthand the devastating effects. My parents adopted three Japanese girls, including my sister and co-director Jennifer LaDue and raised them as their own. When Jennifer and I met Rie Shishikura and heard her story about being alienated from her mother and later her son following divorce, we knew we had to document her journey. A story that begins in utter despair, but ends in discovery… that in helping others lies hope for a better future.

Jennifer LaDue Miyagawa:

As a Japanese national adopted into an American family, there were many times in my life that I felt out of place. Though I love my adopted family, not a day goes by that I don’t think about my biological mother. I got onboard to co-direct “Mommy or Daddy” with my brother after meeting Rie Shishikura. Both of us continue to experience the trauma of separation. Rie’s story reminds all of us that those who are courageous enough to step out and take action will one day look back and see that the ashes of the past have been replaced with beauty.