By Brett Callwood
The Gardena Cinema suffered a burst water pipe at the end of May, that disrupted the screenings of two documentary films. Fortunately, the venue is back on track now.
“On Sunday, May 31, 2026, Gardena Cinema screened two documentary films made by Gardena resident Cory Shiozaki,” the Gardena Cinema said in a statement. “The first film shown was The Manzanar Fishing Club (2012). During the screening of the second film, Little Guayule: The Lost Manzanar Rubber Project (2015), a clean water pipe in the women’s restroom broke and flooded the auditorium. Attempts to turn the water off from the main shutoff valve to the building failed and the Los Angeles County Fire Department was dispatched to turn off the water from the city main shutoff valve. As a result of nearly one hour of running water, attendees were evacuated for safety and the movie was interrupted. The abrupt end to the event was made with the promise of rescheduling the screening of Little Guayule. Little Guayule and the post-screening Q&A with special guests. Little Guayule: The Lost Manzanar Rubber Project was having a theatrical world premiere on May 31, 2026 and special guests were anticipated to participate in a post-screening panel Q&A.”
“Actress Tamlyn Tomita was in attendance on May 31 and was moderating the Q&A with the special guests,” said the Gardena Cinema’s Judy Kim. “She had completed the panel after The Manzanar Fishing Club and was unable to moderate the Q&A for Little Guayule: The Lost Manzanar Rubber Project due to the flooding incident. We have not received any confirmation from her about her ability to attend on June 20, so we are assuming she will not be able to moderate the post-screening Q&A.”
The Gardena Cinema said that they want to thank everyone who attended the May 31 debut screening of Little Guayule: The Lost Manzanar Rubber Project for their “patience, understanding, and support following the unexpected water pipe break and flooding incident that forced the immediate evacuation of the Gardena Cinema before the film could be completed. With more than 600 attendees present that day, including former council member Ronald Ikejiri and current city treasurer Guy Mato, we are deeply grateful for the overwhelming community support shown for this historic debut screening. The strong turnout is also the reason that only a limited number of seats are expected to be available for the make-up screening.”
The beloved local institution has announced that all paid ticket holders who attended the May 31 screening will be invited back to view the complete film at a special make-up screening at no additional charge on Saturday, June 20, at 12:00 pm.
“This screening is being provided to ensure that those affected by the interruption have the opportunity to experience the film in its entirety,” they said. “After verifying attendance records, we anticipate that approximately 200 seats will be available for members of the public who were unable to attend the original screening.”
“Because this is a complimentary make-up screening for the original ticket holders, there is no admission charge for the film,” they added. “However, the Friends of Gardena Cinema, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), supports Gardena Cinema, a community-based cinema and theater. Guests attending under the remaining available seats will be invited to make a suggested $12 donation to support the theater’s ongoing operations, maintenance, and community programming. Available seats will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis while seating remains available. With a maximum capacity of 800 seats, we expect strong interest in this special presentation.”
“On behalf of everyone involved with Little Guayule: The Lost Manzanar Rubber Project, thank you for your continued support of independent filmmaking, preserving our community’s history, and supporting the Gardena Cinema,” they said in conclusion. “We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the complete screening very soon. The date and time of the make-up screening for Little Guayule: The Lost Manzanar Rubber Project has been scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 12 p.m.”
