Showcase of Vietnamese American films to screen at Huntington Beach Central Library

The Huntington Beach Central Library will be playing a showcase of films on Vietnamese Americans this weekend as a part of the library’s celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The showcase, which is free and open to the public, was curated by Viet Film Fest artistic director Eric Nong, who chose five short films: “Nuoc,” directed by Quyen Nguyen-Le; “Master Hoa’s Requiem,” directed by Scott Edwards; “Song o Day,” directed by Melanie Dang Ho; “Thanksgiving,” directed by Van Nguyen; and “NGUYENing: the Lee Nguyen Story,” directed by Alfonso Bui.

The yearly festival is organized by the Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Assn. and began as a biannual film festival featuring work from Vietnamese directors both in the country and from around the world.

“We are celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander month at the library during May, and because our community in Huntington Beach has such a large Vietnamese population and — I am Vietnamese myself — I had a connection with VAALA,” said librarian Van Hoang. “We decided to have a film screening since we have a theater, and it’s a great space. It was a good way to honor the community that we have.”

Hoang said she reached out in late March or early April for the collaboration. She said that at first they weren’t planning on a film showcase, but the conversation eventually went in that direction.

A still from the film “Song O Day,” directed by Melanie Dang Ho, which focuses on the lives of Vietnamese shrimpers and elderly farmers in New Orleans.

(Courtesy of the Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Assn.)

While admission is free, Hoang said the space is limited and has so far seen at least 200 registrations from people interested in attending. Films will be playing from 2 to 4 p.m. Interested readers can register at hbpl.libcal.com/event/10591265.

Not all of the reservations so far received, she noted, were made by Vietnamese Americans.

“We have a mix of both [Vietnamese Americans and other communities] that are interested just because they want to learn about the Vietnamese American experience or are interested in the fact that these are films that are made by local filmmakers,” Hoang said. “There’s just a great learning [opportunity] whether you’re interested in the Vietnamese community or the culture, film, or seeing films about people that are different from you. I think it’s a great space to learn.”

Nong said the focus of this showcase, the first of VAALA’s partnerships with the Huntington Beach Central Library, was on the Vietnamese American experience in an effort to ground the films closer to home.

“I wanted something more on the accessible side for the audience,” Nong said.

“Eligibility for Viet Film Fest includes films that are made by or prominently feature Vietnamese people. I wanted to try and capture a more Vietnamese American portrait,” he said. “We have plenty of other great short films, but for at least this first one, we wanted to localize it.”

A still from “Master Hoa’s Requiem,” directed by Scott Edwards.

(Courtesy of the Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Assn.)

Two directors, Nguyen and Nguyen-Le, are expected to attend the event for a Q&A session.

“For the longest time, I think when people were thinking of Asian Americans in American film, it would probably thinking Chinese Americans or Japanese Americans … because of their sheer numbers and, of course, of how certain Asian American groups came to this country and how long they’ve been here,” Nong said. “But over time, and most Vietnamese Americans came after 1975 ... you’re seeing younger Vietnamese artists having the freedom to pursue their dreams, whether that is through literature, theater and, in this case, filmmaking.”

“Viet Film Fest has grown and flourished since 2003 and ... not all the films are based in our Little Saigon. [Films] come from North California; we’ve got hubs in Seattle and the D.C. metropolitan area,” he said. “Vietnamese Americans are continuing to put their stamp on, dare I say it, American film history, and it’s been fascinating to see them take their place in that and to watch that grow as well.”

Hoang said it is her hope to hold another such showcase in the future, depending on how successful the one presented this Sunday goes.