Summaries

Accompanied by gripping images from the war, 'Oh, Saigon' is an in-depth, compelling documentary about one refugee family's attempts to face its divided past and heal the physical and emotional wounds of the Vietnam War.

"If I could put my finger on the moment my family fell apart, it would April 30, 1975," says filmmaker Doan Hoang. On that day, Doan was on the last American helicopter taking civilians out of Saigon on the last day of the Vietnam War. Doan's older sister, Van, was left behind in the chaos while her family fled to the United States. Twenty-five years later, Doan returns to Vietnam to meet the people she left behind. She uncovers what became of her sister in the aftermath of the war. She also learns that her father, who had fought for South Vietnam, had two brothers he never told her about: a North Vietnamese Communist who fought against him, and an anti-war Southern army deserter. In order to heal her family, Doan must convince them to face their divided past and reconcile in Vietnam. Accompanied by gripping images from the war, Oh, Saigon is an intimate, fascinating portrait of a family the demonstrates the bitter consequences of split-second choices and the bitter legacy of war that lives long after the fighting stops.—Jasper Sharp

In 1975, filmmaker Doan Hoang and her family were airlifted out on the last civilian helicopter leaving Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. 25 years later, she returns to uncover her family's divided past, with family members behind enemy lines and a story of betrayal her family never told her.

Details

Keywords
  • vietnam
  • vietnam war
  • refugee
  • saigon
  • vietnamese
Genres
  • War
  • Documentary
Release date Mar 16, 2007
Countries of origin United States United Kingdom Vietnam
Official sites Official site
Language English Vietnamese
Filming locations USA
Production companies Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) ITVS International Nuoc Pictures

Box office

Budget $413000

Tech specs

Runtime 57m
Color Color
Sound mix Stereo
Aspect ratio

Synopsis

All Filters