OCPL and VAALA Present a Film Series on Vietnamese Experiences

February 4, 2025

Orange County, California – February 4, 2025 –The Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA), proud organizers of Viet Film Fest (VFF), is partnering with the Orange County Public Library (OCPL) as part of their One County, One Book programming to present a special three-part film screening series. Curated by Eric Nong, Artistic Director of Viet Film Fest, each screening promises to showcase compelling stories from and about local and international Vietnamese films and filmmakers.

The series will take place on Saturday, February 8 at Tustin Library, and on Saturday, March 15 and Saturday, March 29 at Westminster Library, with all screenings running from 2 PM to 4 PM. Admission is free and open to the public; however, space is limited. Each screening will also feature a filmmaker Q&A or an opportunity to meet the filmmakers post-screening.

“We are thrilled to collaborate once again with Orange County Public Libraries (OCPL) after our successful film screenings for their Little Saigon Stories project in 2023,” said Eric Nong, Artistic Director of Viet Film Fest. “This partnership is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the vibrant storytelling of Vietnamese filmmakers and bring our shared stories to life for local audiences. We are proud to have these screenings in the heart of Little Saigon in Westminster, as well as having our first-ever event in Tustin.”

Film Screening Schedule:

Saturday, February 8 at the Tustin Library

Location: 345 E Main St, Tustin, CA 92780

  • The Waves Now Calm (2020, 14 min, dir. Dominique Teoh and Khoa Truong)
    •  A retired fisherman in Malaysia recounts his memories of Bidong Island, a former refugee camp through which thousands of Vietnamese passed. Meanwhile, the Truong family prepares to celebrate Thanksgiving in Houston, Texas. The Waves Now Calm is a personal documentary, reflecting on the legacy of the Indochina Refugee Crisis three decades on. 
  • The Fading Light (2008, 22 min, dir. Thien Do)
    • The past and present collide when a Vietnamese American revisits his childhood home in the city once known as Saigon. Set against the plight of the Vietnamese boat people, The Fading Light (Theo Hường Đèn Mà Đi) tells the story of a man seeking to make sense of the events that shaped his life. The film was shot in Vietnam with an international cast and crew. 
  • Finding the Virgo (2019, 50 min, dir. Barre Fong)
    • Vietnamese boat refugees were rescued at sea by the U.S.-based cargo ship LNG Virgo in 1980. Once settled in the United States, one family of survivors embarks on a decades-long search for the captain and crew of the ship that gave them new life.

Saturday, March 15  at the Westminster Library

Location: 8180 13th St, Westminster, CA 92683

  • Mr. Cao Goes to Washington (2012, 71 min, dir. S. Leo Chiang)
    • What happens when the naiveté of a political rookie clashes with the realities of racial politics of the American South and ultra-partisan struggles in Washington D.C.? Mr. Cao Goes to Washington follows the unexpected journey of Rep. Joseph Cao–the first Vietnamese American elected to the U.S. Congress in 2009, the only non-white House Republican of the 111th Congress, and the only Republican to vote for President Obama’s Health Care Reform Bill. Will Cao keep his integrity and idealism intact?

Saturday, March 29 at the Westminster Library

Location: 8180 13th St, Westminster, CA 92683

  • Granny Boot Camp (2022, 5 min, dir. Terry Ngo)
    • Everyday a grandma reads stories involving Asian Hate. She fears leaving the house until she receives some encouragement and help from her grandchildren.
  • I Want You to Live (2023, 9 min, dir. Milla Nguyen)
    • A Vietnamese American teenager and her story of loss, grief, and resilience after losing her parents. She finds her mother’s journal which details their family’s life as Vietnam War refugees and immigrants in America.
  • The Morning Passing on El Cajón Boulevard (2019, 21 min dir. Quyên Nguyen-Le)
    • The Morning Passing on El Cajón Boulevard follows Julie – a young and ambitious second generation Vietnamese American funeral director working in City Heights, known as the refugee neighborhood of San Diego, California. This is a brief and intimate glimpse into the ways refugee families mourn the loss of loved ones far from their homelands.
  • Lion on the Mat (2020, 17 min, dir. Asali Echols)
    • A Vietnamese American single mother pours herself into martial arts as a way to overcome past trauma.
  • No Crying at the Dinner Table (2019, 19 min, dir. Carol Nguyen)
    • Filmmaker Carol Nguyen interviews her own family to craft an emotionally complex and meticulously composed portrait of intergenerational trauma, grief, and secrets in this cathartic documentary about things left unsaid.

This film series kicks off the first activity of Viet Film Fest (VFF) Quarterly. VFF Quarterly aims to provide screenings of films exploring the Vietnamese experience every season of the year. 

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About OC Public Libraries: OC Public Libraries is a vibrant network of 32 branches, two mobile libraries, and a satellite location at the Orangewood Children and Family Center, delivering vital library services across the county. With a strong commitment to early literacy, OCPL nurtures a passion for reading in young learners, while also providing robust programs and resources for teens, seniors, and everyone in between.  Please visit https://www.ocpl.org/about-ocpl.

About Viet Film Fest: As the largest international Vietnamese film festival in the diaspora, Viet Film Fest (VFF) showcases the best creative work by and about Vietnamese people.Through the universal language of film, VFF brings together multiple perspectives to expand the horizons of Vietnamese cinema. Viet Film Fest provides a nurturing environment for artists and the public to engage in open dialogue across borders. As the hub of the Vietnamese movie industry, the festival hosts networking opportunities with prominent directors, media experts, and producers. We are proud to be a central platform for filmmakers of Vietnamese descent to tell their stories the way they want them to be told.

About the Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association:

VAALA was founded in 1991 by a group of Vietnamese American journalists, artists, and friends to fill a void in the community and provide a space for newly resettled immigrant artists to express themselves. VAALA’s mission is to connect and enrich communities through Vietnamese art and culture. Historically run entirely by volunteers, VAALA is a community-based non-profit organization. Over the years, VAALA has collaborated with diverse community partners to organize numerous cultural and artistic events. VAALA’s four core programs include the annual Viet Film Fest and Viet Book Fest, the Gallery Beyond Walls program featuring art exhibitions, and free art and film workshops for youth, such as Youth in Motion: A Filmmaking Workshop for Emerging Filmmakers.

For media inquiries or more information, please contact Corey, VAALA’s Communication Specialist, at coreylinh@vaala.org