Video Gallery

A Perfect Match

“Hot Springs and Hanamaki: A Perfect Match,” is a documentary film by Fountain Lake High School Cobra EAST Lab students about the sister city relationship between Hanamaki, Japan and Hot Springs. The film made its Japanese debut on March 22, 2008 in Hanamaki, Japan. 

Documentary Creators

“A Perfect Match” was created by EAST Lab students Lauren Gross, Krystle Payne, Charlie Mattei, Holly Culpepper, Jordan Anderson and Logan Pratt under the guidance of Dick Warrington, facilitator and Fountain Lake High School teacher. 

About the Film

The film explores the significance of Hot Springs and Hanamaki’s relationship through personal interviews with people in both cities who are involved in the program, and through scenes of local community activities like the annual Hanamaki Festival in Japan. Subtitles were used so that viewers from both cities could enjoy the film. 

Student Exchange Trip

Through a generous seed grant from the Dorothy Morris Foundation, the Hot Springs National Park Sister City Foundation initiated the first foundation-sponsored student exchange trip to Hanamaki last fall that included travel scholarships for Gross, Payne, Mattei, and Culpepper. The students traveled to Hanamaki with Dick Warrington and his wife, Elaine, who is also a teacher at Fountain Lake. The students were able to film extensive video footage in Hanamaki, much of which was included in the documentary.

A tribute to Kenji Miyazawa celebrating 20 years of friendship

Be Not Defeated By the Rain presented by the Hot Springs Sister City Program

See all sister city-related videos here.