Risa Morimoto

Risa Morimoto is the President of Edgewood Pictures. Risa is a second-generation Japanese American, and studied and lived in Kyoto for three years. She received her Master's degree in film and education from New York University in 1999 while serving as the Associate Director of the Asian/Pacific/American Studies Program and Institute. She produced the independent feature film, The LaMastas, and produced and directed several short films and documentaries including, 9066 with Pat Morita.

Risa was the Executive Director of Asian CineVision, a NYC-based non-profit media arts organization from 2002-2006. A producer for television (AZN-TV, A&E Networks), she also freelances as a video journalist for the New York Post. Risa is a 2009 Japan Foundation research fellowship recipient for her next project about internationally renowned sculptor and artist, Isamu Noguchi.

Risa recently directed the award-winning documentary, Wings of Defeat, about surviving Kamikaze pilots. It recently aired nationally on PBS.

Wings of Defeat

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Internationally, Kamikaze pilots remain a potent metaphor for fanaticism. In Japan, they are largely revered for their selfless sacrifice. Yet few outside Japan know that hundreds of kamikaze pilots survived the war. By the spring of 1945, when all Japanese planes were reassigned to kamikaze (Tokkotai) attacks, Japan could no longer defend its airspace and … Read more