Iris Yamashita

Transclude of Photo-needed

Vital Information

Born: [Date needed]
Spouse: John Louis Chan (architect)
In-laws: Jesse Chan, Betty Chan

Career

Screenwriting

”Letters from Iwo Jima” (2006)

Screenplay nomination for major motion picture
Director: Clint Eastwood
Producers: Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, Robert Lorenz
Studio: Warner Bros./DreamWorks
Academy Award Nominations:
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Sound Editing

Film Significance

“Letters from Iwo Jima” was groundbreaking:

Told Battle of Iwo Jima from Japanese perspective
Almost entirely in Japanese language
Companion piece to “Flags of Our Fathers” (American perspective)
Based on actual letters written by Japanese soldiers
Required extensive historical research
Culturally sensitive portrayal praised in Japan and US
Critical acclaim worldwide

Other Works

Additional screenwriting credits to be documented
Screenplay development work to be documented

Personal Life

Marriage to Louis Chan

Married to John Louis Chan (architect, Masters from Cranbrook)
Children to be documented

Mother-in-Law’s Assessment

Betty Chan specifically mentioned appreciating Iris for:

“Writing ability” - Recognition of her screenwriting talent and Academy Award nomination
“Even temperament” - Suggesting calm, steady personality
Named specifically among all daughters-in-law and sons-in-law at 80th birthday celebration

Extended Family

Sister-in-law to Rose Chan Loui, Meg Chan Feitelberg, Michelle Chan Ng
Aunt by marriage to Nicholas Loui, Ryan Loui, Samantha Loui (through Rose)
Daughter-in-law to Jesse and Betty Chan

Timeline

File	type	date	location
2023-Relocation-John-Iris-To-Portugal	relocation	2023	-

Sources

Notes

Major Hollywood Achievement

An Academy Award nomination for screenplay represents significant achievement in entertainment industry:

Highly competitive field
“Letters from Iwo Jima” was critically acclaimed
Film made $68 million worldwide
Rare for film told almost entirely in Japanese to receive such recognition
Required deep research into Japanese military culture and WWII history

Research and Cultural Sensitivity

Writing “Letters from Iwo Jima” required:

Extensive research into actual letters and documents
Understanding of Japanese military culture
Cultural sensitivity to portray Japanese soldiers humanely
Historical accuracy about Battle of Iwo Jima
Collaboration with Japanese actors and consultants

Creative Family

Iris married into Chan family where:

Husband Louis is architect (creative/technical profession)
Sister-in-law Rose is attorney at major law firm
Sister-in-law Meg is in business
All siblings highly educated (Stanford, University of Houston, Whittier)

Personality

Betty’s specific mention of Iris’s “even temperament” suggests:

Calm demeanor in potentially stressful creative profession
Good fit with family dynamics
Reliable and steady presence
Appreciated quality in Chinese-Filipino family culture

Current Life (2023-Present)

Relocation to Portugal

Around 2023, Iris and John relocated from Los Angeles, California to Porto, Portugal
See 2023-Relocation-John-Iris-To-Portugal for details
Move came after John’s parents (Jesse and Betty Chan) passed away in 2022
Screenwriting career is highly portable, enabling international living
Living in Portugal’s second-largest city with vibrant cultural scene

Continuing Screenwriting Career

Able to work remotely with US film industry from Portugal
Current projects to be documented
European film industry connections possible

Loui Family

Explorer