
VIFF 2025: “Tears Burn to Ash” depicts diaspora’s distance from ancestral homeland
Veena Yamano plays a fourth-generation Japanese Canadian in her 20s who lands in Tokyo in “Tears Burn to Ash”.

Veena Yamano plays a fourth-generation Japanese Canadian in her 20s who lands in Tokyo in “Tears Burn to Ash”.

Murao chose the short films, which will be co-presented by The Cinematheque and the Powell Street Festival on Thursday (May 25).


The Society of We Are Canadians Too created Pancouver to foster greater appreciation for underrepresented artistic communities. A rising tide of understanding lifts all of us.
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We would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). With this acknowledgement, we thank the Indigenous peoples who still live on and care for this land.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada.
The Society of We Are Canadians Too created Pancouver to foster greater appreciation for underrepresented artistic communities. A rising tide of understanding lifts all of us.
We would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. With this acknowledgement, we thank the Indigenous peoples who still live on and care for this land.
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