The past few years have seen a high increase in dance televisions shows and competitions. America’s Best Dance Crew, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers are just a few dance shows that showcase the talents of all types of dancers from all types of backgrounds with all types of skin colors.

Unlike other fields of entertainment such as acting and singing, the art of dancing has enabled Vietnamese-Americans to truly showcase their talents on big networks during primetime. While acting and singing observe race under a microscope and create a difficult situation for actors and singers of color to enter the industry, the dance world is seemingly colorblind.

Take America’s Best Dance Crew for instance. Jabbabockeez, We Are Heros, and Super Cr3w included Asian team members; Poreotix and Quest Crew were all-Asian; 21 out of 29 dancers were Asian; and 4 of those 29 dancers were Vietnamese-American. And these are just the headcounts for winning teams. Many other teams, such as Kaba Modern, included more Asian and Vietnamese members.

I love the fact that the dance community in person or on television is so welcoming to any and every persons. But what I love more is that this universal language of dance is spreading.

At the end of this year, Vietnam is coming out with its first hip-hop movie based in Ho Chi Minh City called “Saigon Electric.” It’s amazing to see the spread of the hip-hop culture back home because it means our international youth has another point of connection. The distance and language barrier between Vietnamese and Vietnamese Hyphen youth mean greater separation and disassociation. The universality of body movement will allow us to break this detachment and hopefully truly create One Vietnam.

Check out the “Saigon Electric” trailer.

Vietnam recently experienced the hottest film release of the year!! The new comedy romantic film De Mai Tinh, translated ‘Fool for love’ featured Dustin Nguyen, Truc ‘Charlie’ Nguyen, and Kathy Uyen and was directed by Vietnam’s biggest actor/director Truc ‘Charlie’ Nguyen. The film premiered at the White Palace featuring 1,000 special guests and acclaimed guest-list including movie-stars, singers, actors, and producers of the industry.

April 23 2010 was the much anticipated opening night that amazingly attracted  45,000 fans across cinemas in HCM city, bringing more than VND 2 billion (approximately US$100,000) into the box office within 3 days of it’s release date.

De Mai Tinh brought together the best of the best from producers, film-makers, actors/actresses, and singers such as Australian-Vietnamese Idol finalist Thanh Bui, and top female icon Ho Ngoc Ha with the hottest song collaboration, “Lang Tham Mot Tinh Yeu/ A Silent Love.”  This film, among the first of its kind to be revamped by a successful film crew from a mix of both local and international producers, introduces to audiences flavors of Vietnam’s modernism, pop culture, and  the luxurious lifestyle of the rich and famous.  There were many scenes in the trailer where I could not believe were filmed in Vietnam!

The story follows a captivating tale of humor, trial, love, and pursuit between a hotel clerk Dung (Dustin Nguyen) and his love-at-first-sight with a beautiful lounge singer Mai (Kathy Uyen).  His fearless love brings him to leave his job in chase of his affections for her only to find her involved with a wealthy real-estate mogul. Mai becomes torn between her professional career which depends on her relationship with the wealthy real-estate mogul.

Comedy ensues as the penniless clerk, in order to finance his pursuit of love, is forced to shack up with a very rich but very gay businessman looking for a male companion[1]. Now Dung and Mai are faced with the test of faith as he continues his pursuit of Mai while Mai struggles to choose between true love or a stable future with the real estate mogul.   Dung and Mai’s  journey is filled with rolling-on-the-floor humor, unexpected twists, and brings the audience to ultimately  question, ‘Will their love prevail?’

Success of the film was unlike any other due to a special collaboration between local and foreign film-makers.  International experts worked closely with the Vietnamese crew and introduced new technical skills and film technology. American cameraman Dominic Pereira participated in this close collaboration by dedicating his time and sharing his experience.  The cinematography highlights the hip and bold culture emerging in the Vietnamese elites – fancy cars and clothes,  modern mansions, private yachts, and breathaking beach resorts [2].

New opportunities eagerly await the growing Viet Nam-based film industry, and De Mai Tinh gives evidence to the success that both international and local collaboration could bring.  It is also important to note the difficulty and seldom occasion that Asians are mentioned in the mainstream media.  I would argue that this film deserves mainstream recognition and I hope with the recent successes of modern Vietnamese films, we can soon raise our glasses to celebrate the growth of Vietnamese Media.

———— Check out the Film stills!!———–

The hottest song in Vietnam “Lang Tham Mot Tinh Yeu/ A Silent Love” features the dynamic duo Thanh Bui, an Australian-Vietnamese singer/musician and Australian Idol finalist, and the top Vietnamese singer, Ho Ngoc Ha.  Thanh Bui has one of the most unique and sexiest voice in the industry!

Looking for other hip Vietnamese movies? Try Passport to Love (Chuyen Tinh Xa Xu).

Your Answer Needed: What are some good Vietnamese made films you have seen recently?

The year is 2010, and despite being in this country for centuries, Asian-Americans have only recently been consistent in the media, like Harry Shum Jr. (Mike Chang) and Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina Cohen-Chang) from hit show “Glee.” In other shows, I’ve seen tokenism and casting go hand-in-hand in determining who and how many Asian-Americans get a part.

Jenna Ushkowitz via Flickr @Tomdog

Although it seems like Hollywood plays a hand in halting the entrance of Asian-Americans in the media, I think it is safe to say that there are so many reasons for the slower progression of Asian-Americans in the media. First, Asians make up only 4.2% per of the population in the 2000 Census, and even though the ratio of Asian actors in the media should be 1 to 25 and is not, our population is ultimately small in numbers.

In addition, Asian-Americans play a very interesting role in Hollywood in terms of casting. There is a double-edged sword to an Asian character: how can to make the character not stereotypically Asian while making sure they have an Asian identity? Many producers struggle with creating a character that has an Asian identity but is not bland in culture. There is a fine line between a cultureless character and an overly and stereotypically Asian character.

Moreover, Asian-Americans still have the pressure of becoming doctors, lawyers, or engineers. Becoming an actor takes a huge leap of faith and is thus not a “respectable” job to many parents. The path to being the “model minority” has been set out already, so jumping off this path is scary idea.

I know from personal experience that being an Asian-American and choosing to be an actor is a rough choice. The roles seem slim and competitive, and I cannot help but think that I might make a fool of myself while shaming the family name by not have Dr. and M.D. attached it.

Maggie Q via Flickr @ Caroline Bonarde Ucci

However, there is a lot of hope and promise of Vietnamese-Americans progressing in the media. When I’m feeling down and unsure about my future, I think about the artists and entertainers who have already set foot securely in Hollywood. Maggie Q is starring as the lead in Nikita this fall. Thao Nguyen and her band Thao with the Get Down Stay Down recently performed at my school with a large mass of fans. I can turn on CBS and see Betty Nguyen as an anchor with top news. If I look for the second season of Project Runway, I can see Chloe Dao make her way to the top. Ham Tran continues to make movies after his hit Journey from the Fall.

Thao Nguyen via Flicker @ musicisentropy

Slowly and steadily, our community of Vietnamese-Americans is making our way through the art and entertainment industry.

The year 2010 marks the 1,000^th anniversary since the founding of Hanoi, and in less than five months, the city will be commemorating this anniversary. Vietnam was dominated by the Chinese for approximately 1,000 years, and the country gained independence in the 10^th century. Prior to 1010 AD, the capital of Vietnam was located in Hoa Lu, which is modern day Ninh Binh, located about 97 km (60 miles) south of Hanoi.

Hanoi, which means Between Rivers or River Interior in reference to the Red River that runs southeast and bends through the city before entering the Gulf of Tonkin, was previously referred to as Thang Long (Ascending Dragon) and Dong Do (Eastern Capital). The city was first inhabited prior to 2000 BC and, along with Vietnam that then stretched southward to Hue, dominated by China from 111 BC to 1010 AD. In 1010 AD, Ly Thai To, the first emperor of the Ly Dynasty, moved the country’s capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long. The name Thang Long was changed to Hanoi in 1831 by the Nguyen emperor Minh Mang. Although Hanoi was not always the capital of Vietnam since reclamation in the 10^th century, it has had the longest history of being the country’s capital.

Current day Hanoi is thriving with a population of 6.5 million people, the second largest metropolitan area in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh City, and its future development plan is ambitious. The municipal government recently revealed a development plan to invest US$90 billion over the next 40 years while the city government historically generates annual average revenues of only US$3.6 billion before expenditures. As the city continues to modernize, preservation of cultural sites will become more apparent, as observed in current standing architectures and daily cultural customs that contrast with modern internet cafes and lavish hotel lobbies. For instance, redevelopment within Hanoi’s Old Quarter cannot exceed a certain height, which attests to the city’s preference to have things both ways – modern and traditional.

Back to the 1,000 year commemoration, the main event will be held in Hanoi from October 1 to 10, 2010 and preparation is underway for a rare festivity that will include a wide array of concerts, history exhibits, art shows, and culinary events. A Vietnamese travel agency, Vietnam Awesome Travel, has compiled a schedule of events planned for the ten-day celebration. The anniversary has also strike Frommer’s, one of the best-selling guidebooks in the US, to name Hanoi as one of the top travel destinations in 2010. For anyone that plans on traveling in Vietnam in the next five months, this event is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that should seriously be considered.

source: Wikimedia Commons by Aaron Escobar on Flickr

When I was in elementary school, a playground squabble with a non-Vietnamese classmate left me consciously suppressing my Vietnamese identity thereafter.  I was just a kid then, so when said classmate threw a petty racial slur at me, it was really unsettling, and a sort of ethnic chagrin stayed with me.

But, when you’re growing up in a Vietnamese family, eating Vietnamese food daily, and even taking Vietnamese language lessons every Saturday because your parents are absolutely convinced that’s how elementary school-aged kids want to spend their weekends, it becomes impossible to eschew something so patently part of you.  So, even though I outwardly tried to distance myself from my Vietnamese-ness, inwardly I still longed for a way to reconcile with my ethnic identity.  Being a kid and a bit of TV junkie, I looked to Vietnamese on television for solace.  (Adolescent me reasoned that if you appeared on TV without an embarrassing mug shot or a Jerry Springer-type headline under your name, you were someone to take note of.)

One of the figures I found solace in was a 2D man, a 2D man by the name of Mr. Hyunh (A mispelling of the common Vietnamese last name Huynh).

A Childish Need and a Crude Asian Man?

For those of you not familiar with him, Mr. Hyunh was a character on the hugely popular Hey Arnold!, a cartoon created by producer Craig Bartlett and broadcasted on Nickelodeon from 1996 – 2001.  Despite the ambiguous spelling of his last name, Mr. Hyunh was introduced as a Vietnamese immigrant living at the Sunset Arms, a boarding house owned and managed by the title character’s grandparents.

Mr. Hyunh, in boxer shorts and bunny slippers, brandishes a rotting fish in an attempt to appease what he believes is a spirit haunting the boarding house in the episode "Four-Eyed Jack." Is this an example of stereotyping Asians? (Hey Arnold! and Mr. Hyunh are the property of Viacom International Inc.)

Now at first glance, Mr. Hyunh doesn’t seem like one to take much pride in.  In fact, it’d be easy to tack on him a big, bold “STEREOTYPE” or “TOKEN ASIAN” label.  He’s loud and uncouth with a malt-thick accent.  He’s overly fastidious when it comes to laundry, and he’s known to be a bit on the hooky-kooky side.  Especially with his conspicuous mustache, Mr. Hyunh bares a dangerous resemblance to the sinister Fu Manchu, the fictitious embodiment of Yellow Peril from the early 20^th century.

However, there have been plenty of moments on Hey Arnold! wherein the producers have approached Mr. Hyunh with a true cultural sensitivity.  The mere fact that Craig Bartlett even specified Mr. Hyunh as Vietnamese is enough to raise both an eyebrow in wonder and a hand in applause.  It goes without saying that Asians are sorely missing from mainstream American media, and even when included, “Asian” usually translates to Chinese, Japanese, or sometimes Korean.

Actor Dustin Nguyen played Chinese and Japanese characters early in his career. (Source: Wikimedia Commons by Wisekwai)

Consider this: the only other Vietnamese embraced by mainstream television I can think of in the 80s and 90s were actors Thuy Trang and Dustin Nguyen.  Trang played the yellow ranger Trini Kwan on Power Rangers, a Chinese character.  Nguyen played Steven Ioki on 21 Jump Street (a long-running detective show with Johnny Depp) and Steven Loh on V.I.P (another detective show, but with Pamela Anderson).  Nguyen played Japanese and Chinese characters, respectively.*

So, given the paltry number of Vietnamese on television, the very existence of a distinctly Vietnamese character on American TV—on a kid’s show no less—is really quite something to marvel at.  But that’s not all.  As crass as he might’ve been, Mr. Hyunh was a multi-layered character, and I daresay that Mr. Hyunh’s presence played an integral part in creating the show’s legacy.

Mr. Hyunh, Vietnamese Idol?

Some of the most beloved episodes of Hey Arnold! figure Mr. Hyunh prominently.  For instance, in the episode “Mr. Hyunh Goes Country,” it’s revealed that Mr. Hyunh has one of the sweetest-sounding, country-singing voices you’ll ever hear, and he is even given the chance to become a chart-topping country super star.  But Mr. Hyunh rejects riches and fame because he prefers a simple life—a life with close friends and a humble job.

Now I’m not sure this goes along with the emerging Vietnamese-American ethos of make-lots-of-$$$-and-all-the-prestige-you-can-garner-along-the-way, but I certainly feel like his rejection of the celebrity life for a simple life speaks volumes to the resilient spirit of Vietnam itself.  Vietnam is very much a country still in the process of recovering from suffering in one form or another, and Mr. Hyunh’s actions reflect Vietnam’s desire to find stability and tranquility again.  It’s admirable.  If you want to get academic, you can even say that Mr. Hyunh’s actions represent a rejection of the yellow peril myth: Asians aren’t out to take over every part of your world; they just want to find peace with themselves. (A bit of a stretch, I know.)

Also, the Hey Arnold! Christmas special “Arnold’s Christmas”—one of my personal favorites—is a poignant episode that revolves around none other than Mr. Hyunh.  In this episode, we learn about Mr. Hyunh’s back-story.  He’s not just any Vietnamese immigrant.  He came to America with a specific purpose: to find his long-lost daughter, Mai Hyunh.  In this episode, it is revealed that in the early 1970s, when Vietnam was at one of the most tumultuous points in its history, Mr. Hyunh had to hand off his daughter to an American G.I. in a helicopter so that she might have a better life.  Mr. Hyunh’s life is shown in flash blacks that allow unembellished glimpses into Vietnam’s history.  No casting of judgment, no pandering to sentimentality—just an unadulterated look at an all too sad, all too true, and surprisingly not infrequent story of one Vietnamese man’s past.  At the end of the episode (spoiler alert!), Mr. Hyunh does reunite with Mai, and they embrace in Vietnamese.  I’m willing to bet a C-note that this is the only time you will ever hear perfect Vietnamese spoken on an American kids’ cartoon.  I know my heart leaped a bit when I heard it.

Mr. Hyunh strums his guitar and sings about giving up the celebrity life for the simple life in "Mr. Hyunh Goes Country." (Hey Arnold! and Mr. Hyunh are the property of Viacom International Inc.)

So yeah, he may have just been a cartoon character, but Mr. Hyunh had a profound impact on me as child.  To be honest, Mr. Hyunh was also one of the first exposures to Vietnam’s past.  As a kid, my parents never talked about their life back in Vietnam, and you certainly don’t learn much about Vietnam in elementary social studies.  Mr. Hyunh’s admirable presence made me proud to be Vietnamese again, and he reminded me that the Vietnamese are a humble, resilient breed, doing our best to survive in a world that has been too cruel (to just about everyone, actually, not just Vietnamese). Through Mr. Hyunh, kids across America actually had an honest exposure to Vietnamese culture and Vietnamese history.  When I think about this, that accent of Mr. Hyunh doesn’t sound too bad after all…it’s actually quite endearing now.  And you know what? At least it’s a real Vietnamese guy doing his voice, not someone imitating an accent (think Apu on Simpsons—voice actor is not Indian).

If you ever watched Hey Arnold! as a kid, do you agree with my analysis of him?  Or can you think of any other instances of American cartoons acknowledging Vietnamese people?  Alternatively, did you have any Vietnamese people in the media that you looked up to when growing up?

*To 21 Jump Street’s credit though, there is an episode wherein Nguyen’s character Ioki reveals that he’s actually a Vietnamese man who has to adopt a Japanese identity to avoid complications with the INS.  But that’s a different issue all together.

Mr. Huynh in action – a country star is born!

What kind of a traveler are you? Self-guided Backpacker or Worry-free Tour-Groupie

This year, Luxury Travel Agency is putting its best foot forward with a new travel package, “Vietnam’s Heritage and Cultural Tours 11 days.” This package is designed to offer travelers with limited time an enriched and unforgettable experience of the Vietnamese culture, landscape, cuisine, and history.

This journey begins in Hanoi and ends at Ho Chi Minh City (HCM) or vice versa – this depends on the travelers choice. Within the duration of 11 days the tour will cover the four known heritage scenes of Vietnam – Halong Bay in Tonkin Gulf, Hoi An, the My Son Cham Ruins, and the Ancient Citadel Hue. From here travelers will also have the opportunity to visit cultural centers as the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Fine Arts Museum and the Temple of Literature. This excursion includes hot spot destinations like Da Nang, Mekong Delta, and Cu Chi Underground Tunnel. Travelers will get a taste of the best of Vietnamese cuisine! (Think filet mignon in your Pho!)  This private tour also comes with the choice of English or French speaking guides, this will aid in accommodating the already diverse tourist demographic and helping tourists live their travel dreams.

This new travel service makes me reminisce fond memories of my trip to Vietnam in 2000. It was my first time in Vietnam, and I undertook Da Nang city as my first target for exploration. I remember racing my way through the streets chasing one main attraction after another. From what I recall, there weren’t enough organized travel services that were comprehensive.  Though I was often fatigued and stressed while touring the city, I felt a renewed sense of purpose to understand the rich history around me.  Though I don’t live here, I feel obliged to listen to the silent voices in the walls and buildings, smell the fresh rainforest and delicious food of our ancestors, and reunite with my “Vietnam” – my homeland.  I finished my tour of Danang with an insatiable thirst for more of Vietnam – more of each region’s own rich history. The next time I come back, I could save all the trouble of planning and opt for a luxurious travel experience that is well-organized and done in 11 days.

Do you think Vietnam will soon hit Forbes list of Hottest Destinations?

Now that we all know Vietnamese coffee is the “bestest”, but where and how people enjoy it is another whole different story.  Many of us don’t know that there are several different styles for the Vietnamese folks to enjoy these tasty drinks.  By the way, if you didn’t know that you need to drink 5 glasses of iced tea before finishing your coffee drink, then you should keep reading!

Café Gác – Coffee on the Balcony

This is my most favorite place to drink coffee in Vietnam.  It is the most convenient, clean, and romantic place to drink coffee with your date.  Most of these coffee shops utilize their advantage of having a second floor by arranging a few sets of tables and chairs on the balcony to serve coffee and other types of beverage.  The first floor of the shop is usually serving breakfast, to-go foods, or just simply a living area of the owners.  Looking out to the balcony, the customers have the opportunity to enjoy their view of busy streets and other sceneries while sipping onto their flavorful glass of coffee.  Most of the times, some sort of Trinh Cong Son music or jazz will be playing quietly in the background, very peacefully and relaxed.  This is such an ideal place for many poets and musical composers.

Cafe Via Hè – Street Coffee

When the balcony coffee shops get too crowded, street coffee will be the next destination of the Vietnamese coffee lovers.  It’s a place where you can get a quick coffee session with your buddies without having to deal with the wait-lines at the more fancy coffee shops.  These types of coffee businesses often operate around the local schools and colleges.  Since most of the customers of these coffee places are college students, the prices are usually cheaper than any where else … but look closely for what have been at the bottom of your cup when you’re about to finish!

Cafe Bo Ho – Lake Side Coffee

This type of coffee places is mostly seen in Hanoi and Hue than Saigon.  Around the borderline of Ho Tay and Ho Guom (lakes), you can easily spot a handful of people sitting (sometime laying too) around a table with several cups of coffee and other beverages.  This is an alternative to coffee on the balcony if you miss viewing the nature’s scenery.  Like street coffee businesses, these places don’t do well during the raining season.  But during hot summer nights, they could get very crowded as people were trying to catch some fresh breezes blowing from the lake.

Cafe Vuon – Garden Coffee

This is probably one of the most fancy place to drink your coffee.  Many owners of these businesses have invested tons of money into decorating their gigantic gardens.  Importing, planting, and taking care of trees and flowers are no jokes.   Aside from seeing a lot of trees anf plants here, you will also find birds chirping all day in their cages.  The cost of maintaining these gardens have been shifted to each cup of coffee, so you will see the menu to be a little more pricey.  In exchange to paying a higher price for the same cup of coffee, you get to sit among the most beautiful plants to relax your mind and breath the fresh air.

Cafe “Tê Mê” – Bikini Coffee Shop

The Vietnamese have brought their coffee drinking custom with them to many places around the world.  However, here in the U.S, you would find nothing similar to what I have described above.  I risked myself to visit a couple of Vietnamese coffee shops in San Jose to experience what it is really like inside.  For the most popular ones, you would see something very “extraordinary”, at least not the kind of things that you usually see at your local Starbucks.  Beautiful girls in sexy skimpy lingerie and bikini will be serving you with coffee and iced tea in front of twenty plasma TV screens.  The owners of these shops are Vietnamese, the coffee style is Vietnamese, but the girls may not be Vietnamese!  To make you more surprised, half of the customers are non-Vietnamese.   Talking about service, it would depend on each shop.  Some places have friendly waitresses who are willing to chit chat with customers while the girls in other places will put on their cold masks.   One thing that I have noticed, as soon as they see your iced tea not on the full mark, they will come by to refill your glass for free.  This is why you will see people try to finish at least 4 to 5 glasses of iced tea before they actually finish drinking their coffee.  If you still don’t understand, please take a look at the illustrative photos below for a better explanation:

As you can see, it’s the same glass of coffee, but people will drink it differently or taste it differently depends on the environment of where it is served.  At least for me, I felt that the coffee that I had in the U.S. contained more milk than it should (somebody please help explaining to me!).  Next time, I will close my eyes while drinking it to see if that’s really the case.

What about you, where would you go to drink your coffee?

Now at the age of 22, she is a self-made businesswoman and beauty coach of Youtube, producing over 81 make-up tutorial videos totaling 119,090,450 views. Her most popular tutorials title, “Romantic Valentine Look”, “Brighter Larger Looking Eyes”, “Makeup For Glasses”, “Mysterious Masquerade Look”, and “Lady Gaga Poker Face Tutorial.” Her acclaimed success and popularity opened her into the spotlight of the fashion industry. Within the last year, Phan brought her talent backstage as a make-up artist for Chris Benz, New York Fashion Week 2009 and Michael Kors Spring 2010 Collection. Her vision also inspired a Canadian doctor and scientist to partner with her in the creation of her IQQU International Beauty skincare line.

Phan’s reputable image in the art and beauty industry has earned her a place in Vogue’s March issue celebrating the top web bloggers and sensations of our current day. Phan stands next to ten other self-made celebrities to share their story of passion, motivation, and inspiration. This was Vogues first-of-its-kind article featuring the fashion blogging world. Other Michelle Phan features include; Seventeen Magazine (August 2009), St. Petersburg Times (August 23, 2009), Sun Sentinel (August 24, 2009), popular blog BellaSuga (April 19, 2009), and Chilean newspaper for her Barbie video.

Michelle Phan stands as a proud Vietnamese American descent. But her story and pursuit of dreams reaches beyond the community to encourage all to never think small, but beyond.  In September of 2008, Phan took her career a step further by aiding a charity fashion show, “Fashion for Compassion” dedicated to raising awareness to a Tampa sexual assault case. Her philanthropic work leads an example of a giving and compassionate nature. For Michelle Phan the future only gets bigger and brighter.

Source: St. Petersburg Times.

A Classy Woman -A timeless Valentines Make-up Tutorial:

Rare look at Michelle showing her Vietnamese skills:

Did you also know that Natalie Tran, another Queen of Youtube is also Vietnamese?  For article, visit here.

In a New Orleans neighborhood called Versailles, a tight-knit group of Vietnamese Americans overcame obstacles to rebuild after Hurricane Katrina, only to have their homes threatened by a new government-imposed toxic landfill.  The film A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES is the empowering story of how the Versailles people, who have already suffered so much in their lifetime, turn a devastating disaster into a catalyst for change and a chance for a better future.

A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES is the definition of community.  It’s an inspiring story about bridging generations and cultures and finding your voice as Vietnamese Americans. This moving documentary is proof that our community can stand together and triumph over tragedy.

A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES is an official selection for the 2010 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), which opens tonight and runs through March 21.  For tickets and more information, please visit the festival’s website or click here for an overview of SFIAAFF from my last post.

Screening #1

WHEN: Sat 3/13 @ 2:15 pm

WHERE: Sundance Kabuki Cinemas, 1881 Post St @ Fillmore, San Francisco

Screening #2

WHEN: Tue 3/16 @ 9 pm

WHERE: VIZ Cinema, 1746 Post St @ Webster, San Francisco

Screening #3 – SAN JOSE

WHEN: Sat 3/20 @ 5:30 pm

WHERE: Camera 12 Cinema, 201 S. 2nd St @ San Carlos, San Jose

Director S. Leo Chiang and Associate Producers Brittney Shepherd & Eva Moss to attend.

Protesters line up outside of New Orleans City Hall to protest for the closure of a toxic landfill in their neighborhood, 2006. Photo Credit: James Dien Bui

Versailles elderly gardener takes a moment away from her work, 2006. Photo Credit: Lucas Foglia

Young Versailles community member participates in protest to shut down the Chef Menteur Highway Landfill, 2006. Photo Credit: James Dien Bui