Young and Insatiable: Vietnamese Diaspora Films Making Waves
Nha Magazine, News Feature, Do Le Anhdao, Posted: Feb 23, 2005
The advent of films from the Vietnamese Diaspora began in the mid 1990s, paralleling the course of normalized relations between Viet Nam and France, and most notably, the United States, home to the largest overseas Vietnamese community in the world. French President Francois Mitterand's trip to Viet Nam in 1993 marked the first official visit to the former colony by a French head of state since the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. In 1994, President Bill Clinton lifted the U.S. embargo against Viet Nam, ending nearly two decades of economic sanctions.
Renewed international relations facilitated travel and greater communication between diasporic Vietnamese communities and the home country, paving the way for a New Wave of films by a new generation of directors from the Vietnamese Diaspora.
In this climate of “reconciliation," The Scent of Green Papaya by director Tran Anh Hung made its French debut in 1994. Tran's second feature, Cyclo , was released in 1996, followed by The Vertical Ray of the Sun in 2000; both films were shot in Viet Nam and dealt with contemporary issues there. At about the same time, Thoi Hung Vuong 18, directed by Charlie Nguyen, was released in the U.S. Tony Bui made his film debut in 1999 with the critically acclaimedThree Seasons, the first American film shot in Viet Nam since the end of the war. Tim Bui's film, Green Dragon, followed in 2001.
Though promising, the rate at which these films were released averaged about only one film a year. Yet this didn't mean Vietnamese directors weren't making movies; rather, audiences just weren't aware of them. At the time, communication between filmmakers and their audiences was practically non-existent. But the exigencies of the modern world, transnationalism and globalization, spurred by technology and the creation of the Internet, has changed all that.
Support for films from the Vietnamese Diaspora has grown immensely, particularly in the last two years, due to mass communication, community development and increased awareness. In April 2002, the first Cinema Symposium was initiated, followed by the first Vietnamese International Film Festival (ViFF) in October 2003; both events were organized by the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) and the VietNamese Language & Culture Club at UCLA (VNLC). With this issue of Nhaø, it seems that now is the best time for aspiring Vietnamese filmmakers, actors, and anyone who's passionate about film to start realizing their dreams.
It's no longer the '80s when the Vietnamese community was just developing and most Vietnamese youths were encouraged to pursue traditional, stable careers in medicine, law and engineering. As immigrant Vietnamese communities continue to grow and establish roots, there is greater investment in the arts, which are beginning to thrive and flourish.
The Vietnamese-American community's support was evident at the first Vietnamese International Film Festival, which took place over two weekends and featured over 40 films from the Vietnamese Diaspora. ViFF's co-director, Le Dinh Y-Sa, said, “We want to let filmmakers know that the community is here for them.”
A committed VAALA board member for over four years, Le said the organization has sponsored many events to support various art forms and is now turning its focus on film. “There are still so many stories of the Vietnamese experience to be told and that I myself want to see on film. We hope to welcome those narratives through ViFF.”
Filmmakers from all over the world answered the call and ViFF's vision to provide a forum for work by Vietnamese directors was a huge success. The festival showcased films from the U.S., Canada, and Australia. More than six months after the festival, the narratives are still flowing in.
Embarking on a new journey, these narratives are ambitious, characterized by a diverse range of content and genre. At first glance, films such asGreen Dragon (Tim Bui) and The Anniversary (Ham Tran) seem to reflect a nostalgic sentiment. Yet a closer look reveals more
cultural complexities. Filmmakers are moving beyond examining the war and its aftermath and exploring other experiences in both contemporary and historical contexts.
The relationship between human beings and nature is one subject Nguyen-Vo Nghiem Minh, who directed the upcoming featureMua Len Trau , is interested in exploring. “Although the Viet Nam War is a very rich subject as well as an extremely emotional one for me, it is not the only topic of my concern; the issues inMua Len Trau are also very personal and moving to me.”
The contemplative filmmaker found inspiration forMua Len Trau after reading two stories, “Mot Cuoc Bien Dau” and “Mua Len Trau,” in the short story collection Huong Rung Ca Mau by Son Nam.
Nguyen-Vo sees film as a very unique art form. “It makes so much use of other disciplines such as photography, music, dance, literature and poetry, but at the same time it's very different from all the other art forms,” said Nguyen-Vo. Nguyen-Vo also directedCrimson Wings , a short film starring Le Thi Hiep (Heaven and Earth, Green Dragon), which also screened at ViFF.
Mua Len Trau won best screenplay at IFP/West Screenwriters Lab 2000 (U.S.) and at eùQuinoxe (France). Filmed in Viet Nam's countryside, the film juxtaposes vivid images of nature as a powerful force of both life and death. The film is set during the French colonial period in the 1930s and focuses on a relationship between a father and his son, who are farmers struggling to survive according to the dictates of floods and the dry seasons typical of the extreme climate in the southernmost tip of Viet Nam.
Commenting on the symbolic nature of water in his film, Nguyen-Vo said he hopes to capture the vitality as well as destructiveness of water as a mixed metaphor for life and death.
Nguyen-Vo's ambition goes beyond the creative process and carries over to his search for funding. He madeMua Len Trau with funds from many different sources, and as a result, the film ended up being a Franco-Belgian-Canadian-Vietnamese co-production. And perhaps that's the best approach, considering the American film industry tends to privilege cinematic productions relating to the American experience of the Viet Nam War or its aftermath over other subjects.
One way filmmakers are dealing with lack of funding is by filming outside of the U.S. Charlie Nguyen made his second feature,Chances Are , in Viet Nam. “Shooting a film in Viet Nam is much less expensive, in terms of both technical and labor costs,” said Nguyen.
A romantic comedy produced by Non La Films and Van Son Productions,Chances Are focuses on a Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) who journeys back to Viet Nam to find a bride and ends up finding love in the most unexpected places. Although it is a Vietnamese film with English subtitles, the Vietnamese American humor inChances Are is reflective of the director's identity. Nguyen, who grew up in the U.S., seamlessly weaves together voices from different perspectives in his film.
After releasing Thoi Hung Vuong 18 almost ten years ago, Nguyen went on to direct Vietnamese music videos and comedy skits. Although his videos have been well received in the industry, Nguyen said he feels trapped by the creative constraints of making music videos.
Nguyen is eager to start directing some of his more dramatic scripts. “ Thoi Hung Vuong 18 was my first drama, a product of my passionate youth. Though I made many mistakes with it, I'm excited to work on dramas again.” Nguyen will begin shooting an English-speaking drama/action feature in Thailand in December. The film is a collaboration with his brother, Johnny Nguyen, whose credits include First Morning .
Dinh Anh Dung, a director and cinematographer also known for his artistic music videos, which feature regularly on major productions such asThuy Nga , doesn't consider making music videos a creative constraint. Dinh said his love of filmmaking comes from “working on films about different human experiences, and that includes documentaries and music videos.” Dinh is also the cinematographer for Duong Tran (directed by Luu Huynh), one of two short films that won the Audience's Choice Award at ViFF 2003.
Music videos, documentaries and animation all contribute to the diversity of genres in Vietnamese Diaspora films. Better than Friends , a documentary film by Tuan Andrew Nguyen, addresses eating dog and the ethnocentrisms associated with it. Another film, the animated short Watermelon Island by Tuan Kien Nguyen, retells the Vietnamese watermelon myth. The topics of these films provide more than a crop of fresh ideas; they also set precedents for new cultural and anthropological ventures in Vietnamese cinema.
These initiatives to explore new genres and contexts in film are heartened by the support of Vietnamese Diaspora communities. There'll be some familiar faces at the second annual Cinema Symposium scheduled for October of this year. Jenni Trang Le, co-director of the event, helped organize ViFF 2003. Quoting Tupac Shakur, Le said, “I want to be the spark that ignites change.”
Much larger and more inclusive in scope than the first Cinema Symposium, the second will be an all-day free event. Six workshops are scheduled in the morning, each with a different focus, including acting, camera work, producing, video editing, writing, and directing. The workshops will be followed by a symposium highlighting different aspects of Vietnamese American films. A new addition to the second Cinema Symposium is a five-minute short documenting the event, which will be shown at the end of the day.
Events like Cinema Symposium and the Vietnamese International Film Festival have similar goals in mind: to support established directors and encourage aspiring and emerging filmmakers. Such encouragement and support nourishes the potential and development of films from the Vietnamese Diaspora.
Perhaps the key to solidifying this potential lies in developing scholarly, responsible and insightful critics, something most young film industries lack. In the meantime, films from the diaspora must continue to challenge and defy boxed narratives to become an increasingly competitive achievement.
As for the rest of us conscientious supporters, once we are done applauding and congratulating, what will we do next?
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