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Kommando 1944

July 1944, An Asian American soldier Corporal Soo is thrown into a Nazi work camp on a farm in Germany as his family back home in America are forced into an American Japanese concentration camp in Manzanar California. The allied soldiers think Soo is a Japanese soldier and segregate him. Soo must fight to let go of the past in order to be set free.

  • Derek Quick
    Director
    Seid
  • Derek Quick
    Writer
    Seid
  • Derek Quick
    Producer
    Seid
  • Lucy Quick
    Producer
  • Nicholas Nathaniel
    Producer
    El Landlord
  • Dusica Aleksic
    Producer
    Renaissance Afternoon
  • Daniel Joo
    Key Cast
    "Soo"
    Megalodon
  • Jeff Seid
    Key Cast
    "Lancaster"
    Seid
  • Bejo Dohmen
    Key Cast
    "Kaiser"
    The Spy Who Dumped me
  • John Manahan
    Key Cast
    "Hoffman"
    Macbeth
  • Aramis Merlin
    Key Cast
    "Jager"
    Call Of Duty WWII
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 43 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 13, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    80,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, German
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa sxt Plus
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Holly Shorts
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 29, 2018
    Official Selection
  • World Fest- Houston -In Film Festival
    Houston
    United States
    April 15, 2019
    Texas
    Winner- Best Director, Best Drama Short Film
  • Spielberg's Band Of brothers film festival-75th Anniversary
    Normandy
    France
    June 6, 2019
    Outstanding World War II Short Film Winner-Spielberg's Band Of brothers film festival in Normandy France on the 75th D-Day anniversary
  • The American Pavilion Cannes France
    Cannes
    France
    May 21, 2019
    France
    Official Selection
  • Short shorts
    Tokoyo
    Japan
    June 16, 2019
    Japan
    Official selection
  • Telly Awards
    Los Angeles CA
    October 31, 2019
    Winner Best Director & Best Diversity Film
Distribution Information
  • Fourwalled
    Country: United States
    Rights: Theatrical
Director Biography - Derek Quick

Derek Quick (Negane Meno) is a Native American (Ottawa)/Hispanic Film Director and Disabled U.S. Coast Guard Veteran having served 10 years before moving to Los Angeles to make films.

Derek's previous film Kommando 1944 a WWII film about the Japanese Americans forced into Internment camps in Manzanar California won numerous awards including Outstanding World War II Short Film Winner at the 2019 Spielberg's Band Of brothers Film festival in Normandy France. It also premiered at Oscar Qualifying festival Short Shorts in Japan, and Cannes at the American Pavilion.

Derek's grandfather Chuck (Red Cedar) Todd was the Chief of the Ottawa Indian first nation tribe which by tradition were master storytellers. Derek was inspired to write and direct because of the many untold stories of hundreds of first nation tribes that faced many hardships during their forced treks to the reservations.

Derek is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts with an Associates Degree. He also attended the New York Film Academy from 2016-2018

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

With everyone in Hollywood talking about the awakening of "Asian Americans" in cinema I think it is time the world hears the untold story of Asian American Internment. During WWII hundreds of thousands of Asian Americans were forced into internment camps here in America.

I have a passion for history, especially events that most people are unaware of or choose to ignore due to guilt. I knew nothing about what the Asian American, mainly the Japanese Americans faced during WWII. My grandfather former chief of the Ottawa tribe, a federally recognized tribe, told me stories similar to the internment during WWII.

The hardships these families faced while their fathers, brothers, and husbands enlisted in the U.S. Army, to fight Nazi Germany, were beyond belief. The Irony of the U.S. government delivering the final remains and an award to a mother imprisoned in an internment camp in California.

In this political climate, It is time Hollywood and the world see's the mistakes of the past, so we can heal and never make the same mistakes ever again.

Protagonist
Our Protagonist is very unique. He has only one line in the entire film, but it sums up the theme and at all times he speaks without dialogue.

Crew
The Kommando 1944 crew are some of the most talented and upcoming professionals in the industry. Some examples.

-Alexander Verbitskiy-supervising sound editor -Alex won an Emmy and works at Hans Zimmer Studios.

-Kevin Birou-Editor-Works for Amblin entertainment and is Steven Spielbergs assistant editor, having just finished Ready Player One.

-Ahmed Arifin-Composer- Works with Hans Zimmer for the past six years on various films and written original work for the studio.

-Alexa Garster-Script Supervisor- Alexa Just sold her Spec Script " Madman" to Academy Award Nominee David Permut the Producer of HackSaw Ridge and is in the process of getting the film made.

Minority Employment
In order to equal rights in Hollywood. The crew and cast demographics was diverse.

The Cast was comprised of 45% Immigrants.
The Executive Producer Lucy Vazquez Quick is an Immigrant from Mexico.
The Crew was comprised of 35% Immigrants in leading positions.
The Crew was comprised of 25% Females in leading positions.
The Director and Producer Derek Quick is Native American, from the Indigenous Ottawa Nation, a federally recognized tribe. The tribe now only has 2,500 people left.

Manzanar Japanese American Internment Camp
We were very blessed to get to film at the actual Manzanar Japanese American Internment Camp. It looks the same as it did in the 1940's. The National Park Service was wonderful.

Feature film
Our Director has been approached by industry professionals wanting to adapt Kommando 1944 into a feature before the film has even hit the festival circuit.

ARRI Alexa SXT Plus
Kommando 1944 was blessed to use one of the best cameras in the world during production. The camera has been the forefront of this years Oscar winning films including best Cinematography.

Funding
Derek and Lucy Quick funded all of Kommando 1944's Production. They pulled many favors and had a wonderful team full of professionals.