“Shall We Sing?” is a story of the New York Men’s Choir, composed of fifty Japanese men living in New York. Most of them are businessmen assigned to work in the U.S. office of a Japanese company for several years, some of them are retired men living in the U.S. permanently, and a few others are students. From elite businessman to men working for smaller companies, from a high school teenager to a retired man in his 70’s, the members all come from different backgrounds but all find themselves living in New York at the same time and enjoying singing in the same choir. Most of the men have left their families behind in Japan and for them the choir is a place where they can feel at home. Through weekly rehearsals followed by talk and drinks, an overnight training camp, and volunteer concerts, they gradually create a unique vocal harmony over the course of the year. However, these businessmen must move at their company’s direction, never knowing when and where they will get transferred to next. The choir receives new members frequently but also experiences many farewells. Because the time they can share together is limited, the bond that forms between them becomes warm and strong. This is an intimate look at Japanese men who meet each other in the middle of a big city in a foreign country and who are bound by their love for singing.

Forms: Documentary
Genres: Family, Musical, Independent, Urban, Culture
Niches: Asian, Asian American, Senior/Aging