News Archive

Screening at the Nelson BC Amnesty International FilmFest 2014!

Wednesday, January 29th, 2014
Catch A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES at the upcoming Nelson BC Amnesty International FilmFest on Friday 7:00 p.m! For more information about the festival and the other films screened, click here.

Watch it online on PBS.org until September 24th

Monday, September 2nd, 2013
As a part of our Global Voices broadcast, PBS is making A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES available online in its entirely for the month of September. Please tell your friends.

Back on TV, plus Online Screening & LiveChat

Monday, August 19th, 2013
3 years after our PBS premiere, A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES returns to TV this Sunday 8/25 on World Channel, followed by an online screening on Monday 8/26 at 8pm (live chat with Mimi Nguyen and me, hosted by CAAM). With parts of the U.S. hard hit by natural disasters this past year, this poignant story of a community overcoming challenges through faith and resiliency is more relevant than ever This occasion is a milestone for us the filmmaking team. For the past 3 years, we have been thrilled by the positive responses and humbled by the accolades we have received. Above all, we feel incredibly privileged to be trusted by the New Orleans Vietnamese American community with their story. Big shout outs to OneVietnam and Boat People SOS for sponsoring Monday’s online screening, and our immeasurable gratitude to the funders, supporters (especially VAYLA-NO & MQVN-CDC), and many collaborators.

Re-Broadcast on Aug 25th

Thursday, August 1st, 2013
A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES is returning to TV this August for an encore presentation as a part of the Global Voices series on the World Channel, marking the 8th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. WHEN:    Sunday, August 25th, 2013 WHERE:  On World Channel, 10:30pm (check your local listings)

November Screenings

Friday, November 4th, 2011
Hi Everyone, Happy Fall everyone! We have a number of screenings this November. You know the drill, take a peek and spread the word:   SANTA CRUZ, CA WHAT: FREE Screening at UC Santa Cruz  WHEN: Wednesday, 11/2 @ 6pm (PST) WHERE: Cervantes and Velasquez Room, Third Floor, Bay Tree Building Screening followed by discussion with director/producer S. Leo Chiang. Event presented by the Asian American/ Pacific Islander Resource Center.   LINCOLN, NE WHAT: Screening at the Sheldon Museum of Art WHEN: Tuesday, 11/8 @ 7pm (CDT) WHERE: Sheldon Museum of Art in the Ethel E. Abbott Auditorium @ 12th & R Streets, Lincoln, NE 68588-0300 Screening followed by discussion. For more information, please contact Sharon L. Kennedy, Curator of Cultural and Civic Engagement at (402) 472-3541 or via email at skennedy3@unl.edu.   SAN DIEGO, CA WHAT: FREE Screening presented by San Diego Asian Film Foundation WHEN: Tuesday, 11/17 @ 6pm – 8pm (PST) WHERE: Hoover High School Auditorium @ 4474 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115 Screening followed by discussion.   NEW YORK, NY WHAT: FREE Screening at NYU WHEN: Friday, 11/18 @ 6:30pm – 9:30pm (EST) WHERE: Cantor Film Center at NYU @ 36 E 8th St., Between University Place and Greene St., New York, NY 10003 Screening followed by discussion with Director/Producer S. Leo Chiang. Event presented by The Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University.

VERSAILLES nominated for an Emmy Award!!

Friday, July 22nd, 2011
We are proud to announce that A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES has been nominated for an Emmy Award, in the “Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story – Long Form” category. We are incredibly honored! Check out all the news & documentary Emmy nominees here.

We’re on Comcast On Demand for the month of July!

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011
Hope you enjoyed your Fourth of July holiday. After two years of screening A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES, people still approach me and ask, “Where can I see the film?” Today, I have a new answer to that question. Until the end of July, if you have Comcast Cable (a nationwide network), you can watch the film on Comcast On Demand in the comforts of your living room for the bargain price of $1.99! Here’s how to find a A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES on your TV:

1. Go to your digital cable menu, click on the “On Demand” button, and then look under the “Movies” folder. 2. Next, there will be a “Movie Collections” folder and inside of this viewers will find “Cinema Asian America.” 3. Click on “Make Do Say Think” folder and you will find Village/Versailles. 4. Click play and enjoy!

If you can’t find the film that way, you can always search for A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES, by typing in the title of the film using your remote control. Or, to add us to your Comcast On Demand cue from your computer, click here to do so.

Also happening this month, I will be traveling to Bahrain to screen the film with the American Documentary Showcase. To keep everyone informed on the latest events, I will be posting frequent updates to our Facebook page and Twitter, so stay tuned.

June & July 2011 Updates–We’re headed to New Orleans & Bahrain!

Monday, June 13th, 2011
Hi Everyone, We’re starting off the summer strong. Last week, we took part in the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New Orleans. And later this month, we are back in New Orleans at the 2011 American Library Association Annual Meeting.   NEW ORLEANS, LA
WHAT: Screening/Discussion at the 2011 ALA Annual Meeting presented by the Anthropology and Sociology Section WHEN: Sunday, 6/26 @ 8am-12pm
WHERE: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Room 356-357

Screening followed by panel discussion about how the residents of the region responded to the disaster, but also the ways communities began to rebuild. Panel participants include: S. Leo Chiang; Rebecca Troy-Horton, head of the Government Information Department at the McNeese State University Library in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Frederick Weil, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

WHAT: Screening/Discussion at the 2011 ALA Annual Meeting presented by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association WHEN: Sunday, 6/26 @ 10:30am-12pm WHERE: Morial Convention Center – Rm 287

Screening followed by a panel discussion comprised of local librarians and community organizers who are featured in the film. The panel discussion will focus on how library resources have helped the community after a crisis and the challenges for a community with the destruction of their local library.

WHAT: Versailles Village Bus Tour & Luncheon presented by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association WHEN: Friday, 6/24 @ 11:30am-4:30pm
WHERE: Pick up and drop off at W Hotel, 333 Poydras Street New Orleans, LA 7013
The tour will be led by Minh Nguyen, the Executive Director of the Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association (VAYLA).
 
And in July, I am excited to be heading to Bahrain with the American Documentary Showcase, where the American Embassy has invited us to screen the film. The film will screen at the Bahrain Cinema Club on July 10th and 11th. And, on July 12th and 13th, Lois Vossen, Series Producer for PBS Independent Lens, and I will lead a workshop for young Bahraini and Saudi filmmakers emphasizing the power and importance of nonfiction media. The current political climate of Bahrain (to learn more, check out the BBC’s country profile of Bahrain), combined with the themes of community organizing and civic engagement present in A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES, should make for an interesting dialogue with the audience. To keep everyone informed on the latest events, I will be posting frequent updates to our Facebook page and Twitter, so now is a good time to check it out. And lastly, don’t forget Father’s Day is June 19th. Consider the A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES DVD as a gift for Dad!

Support the Viet Am fishers; plus AAAS Conference in NOLA

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
A year has passed since the Gulf Coast oil spill, and the BP claims process continues to delay restitution for Vietnamese American fisherpeople. MQVN CDC is once again leading the charge for justice. You can help by signing their petition for a fair and prompt resolution. To learn more, check out this The New York Times article, which features Tuan Nguyen, Deputy Director of MQVN CDC. Another New Orleans organization featured in A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES, Vietnamese American Young Leaders Association (VAYLA) is celebrating their 5th anniversary with a Heritage and Hope Gala on Saturday, May 21. Join them in paying tribute to those who have empowered and created positive social change for the Asian Pacific Islander American and New Orleans communities. Finally, we have been invited to participate in the Association of Asian American Studies Conference in New Orleans this month:
NEW ORLEANS, LA

WHAT: Screening/Discussion at the Association of Asian American Studies Conference WHEN: Thursday, 5/19 @ 4:30-6pm WHERE: Sheraton Hotel, 500 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, Room: Rhythms 2 Screening followed by panel discussion with Director Leo Chiang; Minh Thanh Nguyen, VAYLA;  Diem Nguyen, MQVN CDC; moderated by Linda Trinh Vo, UC Irvine.

WHAT: Asian American Filmmakers Panel at the Association of Asian American Studies Conference WHEN: Friday, 5/20 @ 1-2:30pm WHERE: Sheraton Hotel, 500 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, Room: Nottoway Filmmakers’ Roundtable: Art, Activism, and the Role of Asian American Documentaries in the 21st Century Marketplace. Chair: Larry Hashima, Cal State University-Long Beach; Panel includes Leo Chiang; Deann Borshay Liem, Katahdin Productions; Anita Chang, University of California-Santa Cruz; Russell Jeung, San Francisco State University; Valerie Soe, San Francisco State University.

Hope to see you all in NOLA.

April 2011 Update – Screening in Bali Plus More!

Monday, April 4th, 2011
Hi Folks, It’s been a year and a half since A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES began its festival run. We are thrilled and grateful that the film continues to travel, and new audiences continue to learn about the amazing story of the New Orleans Vietnamese American community for the first time. In March we screened at the South East Asian American Studies Conference, College of San Mateo APA Film Festival, University of Florida, and Harvard University. We appreciate the support we received at each of these screenings. This month, the film will travel to Bali for the Global Social Change Film Festival. So if you happen to be in need of a vacation and find yourself in Bali, make sure to catch the screening! Here are our April screenings. We will also be updating the website and Facebook page with new screening information as it comes. ANN ARBOR, MI: WHAT: University of Michigan Screening WHEN: Tuesday 4/05 @ 7:00pm-8:30pm WHERE: North Quad- Multicultural Lounge, 503 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109 Free food provided and Q&A with Director S. Leo Chiang via Skype CHARLOTTE, NC: WHAT: FREE UNC Charlotte Screening WHEN: Wednesday 4/06 @ 11:00am-12:00 pm WHERE: Student Union Room 200, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28223 UBUD, BALI: WHAT: FREE Global Social Change Film Fest WHEN: Sunday 4/13 @ 10:30pm WHERE: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia We are one of 8 finalists screening at the festival and institute for its inaugural year. MINNEAPOLIS, MN: WHAT: White Privilege Conference WHEN: Wednesday 4/13 @ 7-8:30pm WHERE: Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, 7800 Normandale Blvd, Minneapolis, MN, 55439 SAN FRANCISCO, CA: WHAT: FREE Good Look Film Festival WHEN: Wednesday 4/13-17 WHERE: Mission High School, 3750 18th Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114 California College of the Arts, 5212 Broadway, Oakland, CA, 94618 MILWAUKEE, WI: WHAT: FREE UWM Screening WHEN: Thursday 4/14 @ 6:00pm WHERE: Union Fireside Lounge, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd, Milwaukee, WI, 53201 NEW ORLEANS, LA: WHAT: FREE Community Screening @ The Green Project WHEN: Thursday 4/21 @ 7:00p,-10:00pm WHERE: The Green Project, 2831 Marais Street, New Orleans, LA, 70117 BERKELEY, CA: WHAT: FREE UC Berkeley Screening WHEN: Thursday 4/28 @ 7:30pm-9:30pm WHERE: 2060 Valley Life Sciences Building, Bancroft Way and Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94704 Director S. Leo Chiang to Attend LOS ANGELES, CA: WHAT: Southern California Grantmakers Screening WHEN: Tuesday 4/26 @ 5:30pm-7:30pm WHERE: Downtown Independent, 251 South Main Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90012 Director S. Leo Chiang to Attend

VERSAILLES named ALA Notable Video

Saturday, January 22nd, 2011
The American Library Association has selected A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES as one of 15 Notable Videos for Adults 2011. The list includes “15 outstanding programs released on video within the past two years and suitable for all libraries serving adults. Its purpose is to call attention to recent video releases that make a significant contribution to the world of video recordings.” Please share this info with your local university and public librarians and ask them to make the film available for the public!

January 2011 Update – MLK Day of Service events

Wednesday, January 12th, 2011
Following a brief hiatus over the holiday season, A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES is charging full steam ahead into 2011. We are excited to share with you that HandsOn Network, the volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute and the largest volunteer network in the country, has chosen to include our film in their Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service 2011 events throughout January! Starting this week, A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES will be presented in over 50 free Community Cinema screenings across the country. In partnership with ITVSCampus Kitchens Project and the North Carolina Campus Compact, HandsOn Network will support cross cultural dialogue as an avenue for social change through the use of documentary film and organized service projects around the country. Each event will include a free public screening of our film, and a service project will be introduced where people can plug in and get involved in their local communities. Secondly, Leo, our director, has been asked to participate in a panel, alongside Arianna Huffington and Olympic legend Carl Lewis, at the special America’s Sunday Supper event at the Newseum in DC on the eve of MLK Day. The panel will discuss ways to engage communities and to take action for a more just world. The event will webcast live via Livestream at 6 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 16th. Please take part in this inspiring opportunity. Below, we have listed a several Community Cinema screenings that are already scheduled, but you can find the complete list of participating cities here. All screenings are FREE and open to the public. We will also be updating our website and Facebook page with new screening information as it comes. And don’t forget to tune in to the live America’s Sunday Supper webcast event! ST. PAUL, MN: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema w/ HandsOn Twin Cities WHEN: Wednesday 1/12 @ 7pm WHERE: Lowry Lab Theater, 350 St. Peter Street, St. Paul, MN The screening will be followed by a facilitated interactive discussion to reflect on the film and highlight related volunteer opportunities within the St. Paul community. FRESNO, CA: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema w/ HandsOn Central California WHEN: Sunday 1/16 @ 1 pm WHERE: Revue Cafe, 620 E. Olive Ave., Fresno Please contact pmurillo (at) handsoncentralcal (d0t) org for more info. NEVADA, MO: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Cottey College WHEN: Sunday 1/16 @ 2:30 pm WHERE: 1000 W. Austin, Nevada, Missouri 64772 Dr. Sonia Cowen, executive director of the Institute for Women’s Leadership and Social Responsibility, will lead a discussion following the film. CHARLOTTE, NC: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema w/ HandsOn Charlotte WHEN: Sunday 1/16 @ 6 pm WHERE: Actor’s Theater Charlotte, 650 East Stonewall Street and WHEN: Monday 1/17 @ 11 am WHERE: Grady Cole Center, 310 N Kings Dr CLEVELAND, OH:
WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema w/ HandsOn Northeast Ohio WHEN: Monday 1/17 @ 10 am WHERE: Broadway Boys & Girls Club, 6114 Broadway, Cleveland
WILMINGTON, DE: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Theater N WHEN: Monday 1/17 @ 11:30 am WHERE: Theater N-Nemours Bldg, 11th & Tatnall Sts., Wilmington, DE ROCKY MOUNT, NC: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ N. Carolina Wesleyan College WHEN: Monday 1/17 @ 1:30 pm
WHERE: Dunn Ctr for the Performing Arts, 3400 N. Wesleyan Blvd.
Please email bjrobinson (at) ncwc (dot) edu for more info.
AMES, IA: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Ames Public Library Auditorium WHEN: Monday 1/17 @ 2-4 pm WHERE: Ames Public Library, 515 Douglass Ave, Ames, IA ASHEVILLE, NC:
WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ UNC Asheville WHEN: Tuesday 1/18 @ 12:30 pm WHERE: Highsmith University Union’s Alumni Hall, 1 University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804
For more info, you can call (828) 251-6585. ASHEVILLE, NC: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Mars Hill College WHEN: Tuesday 1/18 @ 7 pm WHERE: Belk Auditorium, 100 Athletic St, Mars Hill College
WINSTON-SALEM, NC: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Wake Forest Univ. WHEN: Tuesday 1/18 @ 7 pm WHERE: Annenberg Forum, Carswell Hall, Wake Forest Univ VANCOUVER, WA: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Clark College WHEN: Wednesday 1/19 @ 11 am WHERE: Penguin Student Lounge, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver, WA DEARBORN, MI:WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Univ of Michigan-Dearborn WHEN: Thursday 1/20 @ 5 pm WHERE: Rm 1225, University Center, 4901 Evergreen Rd., Dearborn, MI PULLMAN, WA: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Washington State University WHEN: Thursday 1/20 @ 6 pm WHERE: CUB Auditorium, Washington State Univ BIG RAPIDS, MI: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Ferris State University WHEN: Thursday 1/20 @ 7 pm WHERE: Business Bldg Rm 111, Big Rapids SPOKANE, WA: WHAT: FREE MLK Community Cinema @ Gonzaga Univ WHEN: Friday 1/21 @ 7 pm WHERE: Jepson Wolff Auditorium, 502 E. Boone Ave., Spokane, WA Call 509.313.4037 for more info.
And we continue to screen at Universities and Colleges around the country. Here’s an upcoming screening at Santa Clara University: SANTA CLARA, CA WHAT: Screening @ Santa Clara University WHEN: Monday 1/24 @ 6:30-9 pm WHERE: Recital Hall (Center for Performing Arts/Musica and Dance Building), 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053 Leo Chiang to attend.

November Update

Sunday, November 7th, 2010
We continue to take A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES on the road, with a couple festival screenings and several others on college campuses in November: ITHACA, NY: WHAT: FREE Screening @ Cornell University WHEN: Saturday 11/6 @ 3:30 p WHERE: Anabel Taylor Hall Auditorium, Cornell University Cornell United Religious Work, the campus interfaith organization, is bringing out Father Vien and director Leo Chiang out for two days of wonderful programming in addition to the film screening. Check out the web page for more info. MOBILE, AL: WHAT: FREE screening @ South Alabama Film Festival WHEN: Sunday 11/7 @ 2p WHERE: Museum of Mobile, 111 South Royal St., Mobile, AL WASHINGTON, DC: WHAT: FREE screening @ Georgetown University WHEN: Monday 11/8 @ 7p WHERE: Intercultural Center, Rm 103. Georgetown University Vietnamese Student Association presents, and Leo will attend. DENVER, CO: WHAT: American Public Health Association Film & Media Festival WHEN: Wednesday 11/10 @ 10:30a-12p WHERE: Colorado Convention Center Registration is required. The festival is a part of the APHA Annual Meeting that explores international public health issues. Leo has also been invited to show the film on Tue 11/9 at University of Maryland (Dr. Larry Shinagawa’s Asian American Studies class @ 9:30a-10:45a) and University of San Francisco (my dear friend & collaborator Johnny Symons’ documentary studies class @ 6:30p-10p).

October update

Monday, October 18th, 2010
I wanted to update you on my latest film project commissioned by the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) about Joseph Cao, the first Vietnamese-American Congressman. We just began the editing process, and will continue to follow Congressman Cao through the upcoming November election. Look for the film next Spring on PBS, and we’ll of course keep you updated on any developments. I also wanted to announce that one of our partner organizations, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), is celebrating its 20th anniversary and presenting the AAPIP National Philanthropy Summit: Building Democratic Philanthropy on October 20, 2010. This free Summit will include the premiere of a new video about philanthropy and democracy, as well as remarks from key philanthropic leaders, and will be broadcast live on the web, as well as at ‘viewing parties’ in a dozen cities. Check it out and RSVP today! Finally, I wanted to share some information about exciting recent A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES screenings and upcoming events everywhere from Michigan to Mexico, California to Delaware. I just got back from presenting the film at the Imagem dos Povos festival in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and our Associate Producer, Brittney Shepherd sent this note about her recent A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES screenings in Vietnam!:

Throughout the summer months, A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES had the chance to screen in Hanoi as a part of the Hanoi Cinematheque’s series, Vietnam on Film. Appealing mostly to foregin tourists in Hanoi, the screenings compelled many to take the story of Versailles back to their home countries. And in late August, I screened the film at the Goethe Institute as a part of their educational screening series. A sold out screening to a local Vietnamese audience led to a compelling Q&A following the film.

Catch A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES in your area: PHILADELPHIA, PA:
WHAT: FREE Screening at the University of Pennsylvania WHEN: Thursday 9/30 @ 6pm WHERE: University of Pennsylvania, Claudia Cohen Hall, Room G17 (36th & Spruce), Philadelphia PA 19104 INFO: http://asam.sas.upenn.edu/ FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120324324690111&ref=mf Penn’s Asian American Studies Program presents. Director S. Leo Chiang to attend.
DOVER, DE: WHAT: FREE Screening at Delaware State University WHEN: Thursday 9/30 @ 5pm WHERE: Delaware State University, Martin Luther King Student Center, 200 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901 INFO: http://www.doverpost.com/communities/x802538934/Two-day-DSU-symposium-details-Hurricane-Katrina-5-years-later or call 857-6628 This screening is part of the Delaware State University’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences’ day and a half symposium titled “Five Years Later: Hurricane Katrina and Global Disasters in the 21st Century.” SACRAMENTO, CA: WHAT: FREE Screening at the Sacramento Public Library WHEN: Wednesday 10/6 @ 6:30pm WHERE: Valley Hi – North Laguna Library, 6351 Mack Road, Sacramento, CA 95823 INFO: http://www.saclibrary.org/?pageId=1299 Director S. Leo Chiang to attend. SANTA CRUZ, CA: WHAT: FREE Screenings at the Pacific Rim Film Festival WHEN: Saturday 10/16 @ 4pm, Tuesday 10/19 @ 1pm WHERE: Sat.- Del Mar Theatre, 1124 Pacific Avenue; Tues.- Rio Theate, 1205 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA INFO: http://www.pacrimfilmfestival.org/films/village-called-versailles Director S. Leo Chiang, Associate Producers Eva Moss and Brittney Shepherd to attend. MEXICO CITY, MEXICO:WHAT: DOCSDF Film Festival in Mexico City, Mexico WHEN: Friday 10/22 @ 5pm, Saturday 10/23 @ 2pm, Sunday 10/24 @ 1:30pm WHERE: Fr.- SALA LUMIÈRE, Sat.- CINE LIDO, Sun.- JAIMA CIUDAD UNIVERSITARIA, Mexico City, Mexico INFO: http://www.docsdf.com/ Associate Producer Brittney Shepherd to attend. EAST LANSING, MI: WHAT: East Lansing Film Festival WHEN: 10/23- 10/24 WHERE: Please check the venues page for updated information-http://www.elff.com/festival/directions/ INFO: Please check the website for updated information- http://www.elff.com/
Thanks and I hope to see you at a screening soon.

Katrina Five Year Anniversary Update

Thursday, August 26th, 2010
The five year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is upon us and I wanted you to know about the incredible work being done on the Gulf Coast to repair past and current damages. If you haven’t yet visited the sites of the Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation & Vietnamese American Young Leaders Assn.- New Orleans, please do so. We also recently partnered with VietUnity and their new group, Viet Gulf Coast Solidarity Network, for a screening of A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES. VGCSN is an Oakland-based grassroots organization working to aid the Vietnamese people of the Gulf Coast. If you are interested in knowing more about their organization and how you can help, join their facebook page, or email: vietgcsn@gmail.com. Dozens of organizations and media groups have been trying to bring awareness to the current devastation in the Gulf Coast and how it is related to what happened five years ago. We wanted to share a few of the informative and poignant pieces we’ve found: RADIO NPR- After Katrina, New Orleans Has A New Political Face “I felt a compelling need to promote social change,” says Republican Rep. Joseph Cao. “I thought the best possible way for me to do that was to become politically involved.” _________ PHOTOS The Washington Post- Vietnamese shrimpers face financial ruin after oil spill Take a look at these beautiful images of Vietnamese-American shrimpers. _________ VIDEO The New York Times- The Shrimper Survivor “Thuong Nguyen, a Louisiana shrimp fisherman, survived a treacherous trip from Vietnam and Hurricane Katrina. But now he worries that he may not make it through the gulf oil spill.” I also wanted to let you know we have three A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES screenings coming up: two in San Francisco and one in North Carolina. Our associate producer, Brittney Shepherd also recently screened AVCV at the Goethe-Institut in Hanoi, Vietnam. Look for her comments on how it went in our next newsletter. Upcoming screening details: SAN FRANCISCO, CA: WHAT: SF Interfaith Council presents AVCV– FREE WHEN : Friday 9/1 @ 7pm WHERE : Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street, SF, CA 94118 INFO : Please RSVP FACEBOOK EVENT : http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136011043106918 Filmmaker S. Leo Chiang will participate in a discussion afterward. CHARLOTTE, NC: WHAT: Council on Foundations, Conference for Community Foundations WHEN: Mon. 9/13 @8:30p WHERE: Charlotte Convention Center, 501 South College Street, Charlotte, NC 28202, Room 216 INFO:  click HERE Producer/Director Leo Chiang to present, along with Tin Nguyen, a Charlotte-based attorney and activist who has worked with Gulf Coast Vietnamese-American fisherfolk. SAN FRANCISCO, CA: WHAT: FREE Screening at the SF Public Library, Main Branch WHEN : Tuesday 9/21 @ 6pm WHERE : SF Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, SF, CA 94118 INFO : http://sfpl.org/ FACEBOOK EVENT : http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=152022044807894 A panel discussion on disaster preparedness including Associate Producer, Eva Moss, will follow. Members of VietUnity will also attend.

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