By Lucy Spicer
Editor's note: We are deeply saddened by the passing of Robert A. Nakamura, a trailblazer in Asian American cinema and the subject of Third Act directed by his son. Nakamura's groundbreaking work as a filmmaker, educator, and activist paved the way for generations of Asian American storytellers. His legacy lives on through the communities he built, the students he mentored, and the family who lovingly shared his story on screen. Nakamura would have turned 89 years old on July 5. We are honored to have celebrated his life at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
One of the most exciting things about the Sundance Film Festival is having a front-row seat for the bright future of independent filmmaking. While we can learn a lot about the filmmakers from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival through the art that these storytellers share with us, there's always more we can learn about them as people. We decided to get to the bottom of those artistic wells with our ongoing series: Give Me the Backstory!
When your father is known as the godfather of Asian America media, filmmaking plays a pivotal role in your life. That's the case for director Tadashi Nakamura, son of Robert A. Nakamura, whose accomplishments include such historic films as Hito Hata: Raise the Banner - the first film made by Asian Pacific Americans about Asian Pacific Americans. In Tadashi's film Third Act, which premiered in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, the director explores his father's life and career, including the years of his childhood spent in an American concentration camp during World War II. Third Act was a deeply personal project, especially as Robert's health declined after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. But Tadashi also recognizes how widely his family's story could reach - and how urgent his father's story is at this moment.
This story needs to be told now because it resonates deeply with the challenges of our current political and social climate, where history is tragically repeating itself, says Tadashi. The echoes of past injustices are loud and clear in the present-day realities of deportation centers, detention centers for migrant children, ICE raids, anti-Muslim legislation and attacks, and the rise in violent attacks and discriminatory legislation targeting the queer and trans community. These systemic oppressions are creating new generations of individuals who will grapple with the same struggles my dad faced - self-hatred, internalized racism, cultural assimilation, and, as he puts it, trying to be whiter than white.'
He continues, The trauma and violence being inflicted on communities today will have lasting impacts, perpetuating cycles of historical trauma and identity struggles that extend across generations. This film is a reflection on those cycles, exploring how they shape families and communities while also offering a path forward through art, activism, and healing.
Read on to learn more about Third Act and the Nakamuras, including which of Robert's works inspired Tadashi to create a documentary about his father and how Tadashi navigated the filming process as both a director and a son.
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By Lucy Spicer
