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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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!

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:

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.

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

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!

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 ITVS, Campus 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: 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

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).

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: Thanks and I hope to see you at a screening soon.

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.