The Art of Compassion: Documentary

Overview

The Art of Compassion presents parallel portraits of two World War 2 prisoners of war who have transformed painful experiences into sources of creative inspiration. Their moving stories resonate with themes of healing, appreciation for nature, and spiritual growth. Manitoba-born artist and writer William Allister and Vancouver-born Japanese-Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama were prisoners of war during World War II. Allister was imprisoned in Japan after the fall of Hong Kong, and Moriyama was interned in British Columbia after the Canadian government implemented the War Measures Act. During the war years, Allister and Moriyama drew upon artistic expression and a love of nature as a means of survival. Today, their creative work bridges the two cultures which have had such a significant impact on their lives.