Academy Award Nominee: Best Original Screenplay

Iris Yamashita, Academy Award nominee for Best Original Screenplay was online Friday, Feb. 9, at 2 p.m. ET to discuss "Letters From Iwo Jima," the Clint Eastwood-directed film about World War II told from the perspective of the Japanese.

"Iwo Jima" is a complementary film to "Flags of Our Fathers," also directed by Eastwood, recently won a Golden Globe award and is nominated in several categories for an Oscar. The film is subtitled.

"Letters From Iwo Jima" is Yamashita's first produced screenplay.

Read The Post Story: Debt of Honor: For a Slain Iwo Jima Cameraman He Never Knew, Man Asks U.S. to Move Remains to Arlington Cemetery ( Post, Feb. 9)

A transcript follows.

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Washington, D.C.: Iris: As a 1.5 generation Japanese American, I thought you did a great job with the movie. What impressed me most was the dialogue, you managed to capture the "whiny" component of Japanese and also the noble components of it. Did you write the dialogue in Japanese or was it translated?

Iris Yamashita: I wrote the dialogue in English and it was translated. They had three different translations and they picked the best of the three.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Please pardon my ignorance about your movie, but how much of the script comes from actual recollections and how much of the script did you need to recreate what likely happened because little records remain?

Iris Yamashita: Most of the events depicted were based on some sort of reality, the actual conversations might be different and some of the characters were fictional. Regarding the lack of records, I extrapolated from accounts of other battles.

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Honolulu, Hawaii: I understand that you studied the Korematsu case -- how his criminal conviction was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court only to be overturned years later by a lower court after key evidence showed that there was no factual basis for the internment. Have you written or do you plan to write a screenplay on the Korematsu case?

Iris Yamashita: That was a project that did come by my way but the investors fell out so that project is no longer in the works. But that is a very interesting worthwhile story.

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North Hollywood, Calif.: I remember touring the building where the Oscars are awarded and as they showed us where the big stars sat, I asked where the screenwriting nominees sit. The tour guide pointed to the back of the room. Any chance the Academy has finally recognized the importance of the screenwriters and at least upgraded where you sit?

Iris Yamashita: (LAUGHS) That's pretty funny. Unfortunately I have no idea where I'll be sitting this year but it's nice that you recognize that screenwriters are important.

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Morristown, N.J.: Thanks, Iris, for the opportunity to ask you questions. I have a few after seeing the film.

One of the first scenes shows someone asking in awe, "How did these soldiers build these tunnels?" I was wondering why there were no scenes in the movies answering that significant question or showing the tunnels being dug.

Were letters really found in tunnels in Iwo Jima or was that fictionalized for the film?

Finally, why were the Japanese soldiers portrayed as having so little respect for their superior officers? They seemed to question almost every command, and that surprised me.

Thanks again for the chat!

Iris Yamashita: Regarding the tunnels, we were working on a very low-budget (in Hollywood terms)so we could not design those types of sets showing the digging of tunnels. The cave shots used existing caves in Barstow and some were "set" caves at the studio.

Regarding the letters, that was fictionalized; however, within this last week I discovered that a World War II veteran has discovered a sack of letters on the island and has been sitting on it for 62 year and because of the movie has decided to have them translated and is looking for the families.

I was also surprised in doing my research that there actually was a lot of conflict between the chains of command. Officers actually did disobey orders that they received from their higher ups. I imagine there was a lot of chaos on the island.

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Irvine, Calif.: What software do you like to use when writing scripts? Thanks.

Iris Yamashita: Final Draft.

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Washington, D.C.: I've seen very good reviews of "Letters From Iwo Jima" but I want to see it DVD so I can view it at my own pace since it has many subtitles. When will it be available for sale?

Iris Yamashita: I don't know when the DVD will be coming out since "Letter From Iwo Jima" is still playing in theaters but "Flags of Our Fathers" has recently been released on DVD.

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Palo Alto, Calif.: Congratulations! Could you tell us a bit about how you got hooked up with Clint? Did he hire you to write the script or did you approach him? Also, what's your "backstory", i.e., where did you go to school, and how long have you been writing for?

Iris Yamashita: Thank you. Clint Eastwood originally came up with the idea to write the Japanese perspective while doing pre-production on "Flags of Our Fathers." My agent at CAA heard about the project and sent a few sample scripts to Paul Haggis who is the executive producer on the film and Paul responded positively on my script and I was able to get a meeting with him (Haggis). I came in with a take on the story and the characters so by the end of the second meeting Paul Haggis told me that I was hired.

Haggis started making phone calls and told me I could quit my job as a full-time Web programmer. He also set up a meeting with Clint Eastwood.

I went to UCSD for my undergraduate in bio-engineering with a minor in writing and at UC Berkeley I got my graduate degree in mechanical engineering. I also took UCLA extension courses in screenwriting.

I've been writing ever since I can remember as a hobby.

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Arlington, Va.: Thank you for this excellent film. It isn't often American movie-goers are exposed to the human side of an enemy. More likely we will see films produced such as "Pearl Harbor" or "Saving Private Ryan," which have some good qualities, but ultimately have to fit a Hollywoodized stereotype of a plugged in romance, or an unbelievable ending. "All Quiet on the Western Front," and Stalingrad come to mind as comparisons.

Any idea how Letters from Iwo Jima has been received in Japan?

Iris Yamashita: I believe the movie has been very well received in Japan. It was Number One at the box office for six weeks. I also read many moving comments from viewers as well as hearing great things from friends in Japan.

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Freising, Germany: I've been to Okinawa, Ishagaki and Iriamote within the southern archipelago of Japan, and they seemed so serene and beautiful. It's hard to imagine the brutality of trench and tunnel warfare while palm trees are swaying the breeze.

What was it like to film on Iwo Jima? Were there any reminders of the war?

Also, have you read, "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa", by E. B. Sledge? Is this good description of the conditions on Iwo Jiwa during WWII?

Iris Yamashita: Most of the movie was actually filmed in California. There was only a one-day shoot on the actual island of Iwo Jima which I was not able to attend. It's very difficult to get to the island because it is a restricted military base. Clint Eastwood was able to take a plane with only about 10 people to the island. But the footage that appears in the movie is very striking and a moving reminder of the war.

No, I'm sorry I have not read the book that you mentioned.

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Washington, D.C.: Since Clint Eastwood considered "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima "as "partner" pieces, has there ever been talk of releasing the two as a "double feature?" How about a re-edit of both movies to intertwine them into a single movie?

Iris Yamashita: I have not heard anything officially but that sounds like a good idea.

I doubt that they would do a re-edit of the movies into a single movie.

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New York, N.Y.: You are an inspiration to aspiring screenwriters like me. Question: How did you land an agent at CAA with no produced credits? -Thanks.

Iris Yamashita: Thank you. The way I got an agent at CAA was by entering a screenwriting competition for which my present agent was a judge. I won first place in the competition and she asked if she could represent me.

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Arlington, Va.: I saw the movie this week and thought it was wonderful. Definitely not a "typical" Hollywood war film!

You mentioned that you wrote it in English and that it was then translated into Japanese. That made me curious to know if the subtitles are the words that you wrote, or if they were translated from the Japanese.

Also, are there any scenes that got "cut" that you wish had stayed in?

Iris Yamashita: The subtitles were for the most part close to what I had written and my Japanese friends tell me that the translations were fairly accurate and natural.

As with any movie, there were several scenes that were shot but were cut in the editing room. I'm not sure if they actually shot some of the scenes that I included about the soldiers' desperation for water, for example.

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Great Falls, Va.: I thought this one one of the best pictures of WW II that I have seen. Thank you so very much and thanks to Clint Eastwood as well. I was almost ten years old when the battle took place. At that time you know I am sure that Japanese soldiers were portrayed according to the propagandists. Not a pretty picture. This film put a very human face on some very brave men, who as I think you intended to and did show were not much different than the Marines they fought.

I would urge the person who is waiting for the DVD to see the film on the big screen. You will not be much distracted by the English translation at the bottom. It is very easy to follow.

Iris Yamashita: Thank you for your kind comments and yes, I encourage everyone to see the movie on the big screen.

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Iris Yamashita: Thank you for your questions and kind comments. I hope this movie was able to portray the struggle for humanity in a time of chaos and help promote some understanding about the differences and similarities between cultures.

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