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A Journey Home

“A Journey Home,” based on a poem written by six Marshallese students living in Springdale, Arkansas, is an animated short film honoring the many meanings of home: as Arkansas, as the Marshall Islands, and as Earth that needs to be protected for the next generation. Springdale, Arkansas is home to the largest population of Marshallese in the United States. Local organizations estimate more than 12,000 Marshallese live in Springdale, with the population expected to increase as new families immigrate and existing ones expand. Many of the youth have only been to the Marshall Islands once when they were very young, while others have not visited at all. But many of them are beginning to learn about the Marshall Islands' terrible nuclear legacy: their native homeland was the site of 67 nuclear tests conducted by the United States from 1946 to 1958. Overall, three hundred nuclear tests were conducted in the Pacific region, which inflicted both long-lasting environmental harm and humanitarian suffering amongst the citizens of the Pacific region. “A Journey Home” as a poem and as an animated short serves as a creative journey back home, and recognizes the deep and complex connections between nuclear weapons history, survival, and the creation of diaspora.

  • Catherine Killough
    Director
  • Daphne Peter
    Writer
  • Marcina Langrine
    Writer
  • Joyce Hirose
    Writer
  • Neimony Netwan
    Writer
  • Trina Marty
    Writer
  • Benetick Kabua-Maddison
    Writer
  • Lovely Umayam
    Producer
    Ways of Knowing
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Genres:
    Animation, Poetry
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 10, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    2D Animation
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • ICAN Nuclear Ban Forum - Aula der Wissenschaften (Aula of Sciences)
    Vienna
    Austria
    June 18, 2022
    International Premiere
Director Biography - Catherine Killough

Catherine Killough is a Korean American visual storyteller born in Tucson, Arizona and based in Washington, DC. She is an emerging animator interested in illuminating the experiences of diasporic communities in the US. She previously worked in nuclear policy as an advocate for disarmament, demilitarization, and peace-building efforts on the Korean Peninsula. Catherine has an MA in Asian Studies from Georgetown University and a BA in English and Creative Writing from the University of Arizona.

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Director Statement

"A Journey Home" is my directorial debut as an animator. This project was done in close collaboration with Lovely Umayam of Bombshelltoe Policy x Arts Collective through the Reverse the Trend DocuSeries with the Marshallese Educational Initiative. The poem, written by six Marshallese writers, reflects on the many meanings of home, from Springdale, Arkansas to the Marshall Islands, the site of 67 nuclear tests conducted by the United States from 1946 to 1958.  It was an honor to contribute to the writers’ creative journey, which confronts the deep and complex connections between nuclear weapons history, survival, and the creation of diaspora.