The Mystery of George Masa

“He came to Appalachia in 1915 with broken English and little money…”

The Mystery of George Masa details the life of Masaharu Iizuka, (AKA George Masa) a Japanese immigrant who came to the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in 1915, where he focused his camera and his passions on preserving the beauty of the wilderness he discovered. Eighteen years after his arrival, his death left behind thousands of photographs and an impressive legacy that included a role in the founding of two great national treasures, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian Trail. However, throughout his life in America he was secretive about his past, with no one knowing the details of his life experience and his inner passions.

Directed by Paul Bonesteel