Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA) partners with Huntington Beach Public Library to curate short film set

The Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (VAALA) will partner with the Huntington Beach Public Library for a specially curated screening showcasing five short films previously shown at Viet Film Fest (VFF), it was announced today. The films set were selected by Viet Film Fest’s Artistic Director, Eric Nong. This special film screening will be followed by a Q&A with some of the filmmakers and the event will take place at Huntington Beach Central Library Theater on Sunday, May 21 from 2 pm – 4 pm. Admission is free and open to the public; see ticket information below.

The selection of short films aim to showcase some of the best and brightest stories by filmmakers of Vietnamese descent or about Vietnamese culture, and covers a wide range of genres and themes. Ranging from an experimental project about a genderqueer Vietnamese American teen to a riveting story about the first Vietnamese American soccer player to represent the US men’s national team, this film set reflects the rich diversity of the Vietnamese diaspora. 

“We are thrilled to partner with the Huntington Beach Public Library, especially during AAPI Heritage Month, and bring an exciting selection of films to the community,” said Eric Nong, Artistic Director of Viet Film Fest. “Through this screening, we hope to promote the community’s greater understanding of Vietnamese diasporic cinema.”

The Huntington Beach Public Library has a large Asian community, especially those of Vietnamese heritage, and this program is one of many that will help everyone learn more about the culture. “We wanted to bring people of all backgrounds together to celebrate the creativity showcased in these films,” said Van Hoang, a librarian at Huntington Beach. “There is such a diverse mix of talent presented in the film screening and we’re so excited to collaborate with VAALA to make this possible.”

The curated films and their description will be:

Nước (Water/Homeland) (dir. Quyên Nguyen-Le) 

• An experimental short film about a genderqueer Vietnamese American teen who attempts to piece together and understand their mother’s experience as a Vietnam War refugee.

Master Hoa’s Requiem (dir. Scott Edwards)

• In search of his dead wife’s grave, a Vietnamese martial arts master returns 30 years later to the waters that claimed his wife and children in hopes of putting to rest his hellish past.

sống ở đây (To Live Here) (dir. Melanie Dang Ho)

• Exploring the intimacy of the mundane, sống ở đây focuses on the lives of Vietnamese shrimpers and elderly farmers in New Orleans, understanding the reverberations of the past, and present in day-to-day labor.

Thanksgiving (dir. Van B. Nguyen)

• A Vietnamese American mother prepares for Thanksgiving and faces a situation she never expected when her son brings home a man.

NGUYENing: The Lee Nguyen Story (dir. Alfonso Bui)

• A teenage soccer phenom skyrockets to stardom like no one before him, becoming the first ethnic Vietnamese player to represent the United States. Then, in an unprecedented move, he leaves for Asia, his star fading into obscurity. In a sport defined by winning, his story reminds us that it’s instead how you deal with the unexpected turns of sport and of life that matter most.

Curated Film Screening with a Selection of Short Films with a Special Filmmakers Talk afterwards, in partnership with the Huntington Beach Library

Sunday, May 21st, 2pm – 4pm 

Huntington Beach Central Library, 7111 Talbert Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Event Registration at https://hbpl.libcal.com/event/10591265