In December 2024, Los Angeles-based documentary filmmaker James Medina visited Japan to film his upcoming documentary, Mushroom Cloud. A key part of this project involved the active participation of students from the Department of English Interpreting Stream, whose dedication and skills significantly contributed to the documentary's development.

Interpreting Stream students had the unique opportunity to join James on set at Hiroshima Peace Park with a representative from the Peace Memorial Museum. The museum official shared valuable insights into its history, and students from the Interpreting Stream assisted a professional interpreter, Prof. John McLean, facilitating direct communication between James and local experts.

Later that week, James visited Yasuda Women's University, where he filmed interviews with students making statements about peace for use in the documentary.



In collaboration with Prof. John McLean, students then reviewed and added English subtitles to the Hiroshima footage, helping to improve accessibility and promote international understanding.
Currently, students are in the second phase of this ongoing collaboration, working closely with faculty to:

(1) Spot and subtitle in English the footage captured by James Medina in Tokyo featuring Hidankyo representatives, who received the Nobel Peace Prize. 
(2) Spot and subtitle in Japanese selected footage with a senior professor, shot at the American University, to further enrich the documentary.

This project highlights the vital role of interpretation and translation in fostering dialogue and understanding across cultures. The students involved are proud to contribute to a global conversation about peace and resilience.

Engaging in this international documentary project provides valuable practical experience, helping to develop key skills such as real-time interpretation, cultural sensitivity, teamwork, and technical proficiency in subtitling. Such experience prepares students for professional careers and enhances their ability to communicate complex ideas across cultures.