East of the Rockies
East of the Rockies is a Canadian mobile augmented reality video game application, produced by the National Film Board of Canada and released in 2019.[1] Written by novelist Joy Kogawa based partially on her novels Obasan and Itsuka,[2] the project tells the story of Yuki, a young Japanese Canadian girl in the 1940s who is caught up with her family in the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II.[3]
The character of Yuki is voiced by Kogawa's granddaughter, Anne Canute.[3]
The application was released to the Apple Store in March 2019 for iPhones and iPads running iOS 12 or higher.[2] A "pop-up experience" version of the application was also screened at the 2019 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.[3]
The project won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Video Game Narrative at the 8th Canadian Screen Awards in 2020.[4]
References
- "Joy Kogawa revisits the story of Japanese Canadian internment camps with a new AR app". Q, November 12, 2019.
- Peter Graham, "AR Experience East of the Rockies Tells the Story of Canada’s Japanese Internment Camps". VR Focus, March 1, 2019.
- Samantha Edwards, "Joy Kogawa revisits Canada’s dark wartime past in new AR app". Now, November 6, 2019.
- Brent Furdyk, "Canadian Screen Awards: Winners Announced For Scripted Drama, Comedy Categories". Entertainment Tonight Canada, May 27, 2020.