Georgia Southern professor featured in 2021 Ogeechee International History Film Festival

February 25, 2021

Georgia Southern University professor Matthew Hashiguchi’s film “Good Luck Soup,” is the feature of the 2021 Ogeechee International History Film Festival, the longest-running film festival of its kind in the world. “Good Luck Soup” and the other films in the festival will be available to stream through March 5.

Hashiguchi’s film is a personal documentary about his family’s experience of living in a predominantly white community in Ohio while learning to embrace his Japanese heritage. A live Q&A with Hashiguchi will be held separately on Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom: https://georgiasouthern.zoom.us/j/87242636822

“Specifically for Georgia Southern students, I would hope that through my film they’d see that race and cultural identities, or issues, aren’t limited to Black or white perspectives,” Hashiguchi said. “Where I come from, our cultural identity was much more anchored to ethnic heritage and the home country of our grandparents or great-grandparents, not color of skin, and when it comes to being mixed-race, there is no side to be a part of.”

The 2021 festival will be the first in its five-year history to be all virtual. Films in the festival are historical nonfiction and will feature topics such as the history of labor, film, genocide, the World Wars and African American history.

“It has never been easier to attend the festival,” said Georgia Southern graduate student and festival coordinator Lauren Hartke. “We have an expertly curated list of films that people can watch at their leisure, and there is truly something for everyone. We anticipate being able to reach a much more geographically diverse audience with this format.”  

To watch Hashiguchi’s film now and the main program beginning February 26th, visit [link no longer available].  Depending on access, free registration via Google may be required.

In partnership with the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, the juried festival is sponsored by the Georgia Southern College of Arts and Humanities, Departments of History, Political Science and International Studies, Communication Arts, and Foreign Languages, as well as the Georgia Southern Film Club and History Club, and the Georgia Humanities Council.