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Development of a feature-length documentary on Sakae “Frank” Matsura (1873–1913), a Japanese photographer who came to live in the Pacific Northwest in the early twentieth century.

Our Mr. Matsura, a feature-length documentary, will tell the story of Japanese-born photographer Frank (Sakae) Matsura who came to live in the Pacific Northwest in the early years of the 20th century. Matsura created a body of work that transcended mere documentation of his adopted home. He depicted, with obvious warmth and connection, the varied peoples of northeastern Washington State, along with surprising self-portraiture some of which reads as photographic “performance.” In addition, he extended this performance photography into collaborative visual storytelling with members of the diverse population in Okanogan County, white settlers and native American people alike. It is a unique portfolio of imagery and has much to tell us about a transitional time in U.S. history.