Search the site

Film

Seryna Thai

"The MeKong River (Song Me Kong)"

Screening: May 1, 2009, 7:15pm

Location: Members Lounge, Berkeley City Club

“Don’t talk about the past,” my family told me. Many decades later, I was finally able to interview my older siblings and aunt about their predicaments during the Vietnam War. After spending many months interviewing the older generation, I decided to involve the new generation in my film to discuss the war. In Vietnam however, the war is a forbidden subject; many people express distaste for such discussions. Why discuss the Vietnam War since it has already ended? “To find out why we are still having a war in this modern society,” I thought silently.

The film explores my family division, and insodoing, illuminates the past of southern society, highlights some situations of unification and illustrates current Vietnamese society. Sometimes, my narration appears, transmitting and reflecting my inner thoughts. At other times, my nieces and nephews relate their feelings about their parents while mirrring their paretns' feelings about the war. One can see these personal emotions in the film. To understand the Vietnamese history of national division one has to attend my presentation, where I zip everyone through the Vietnamese social struggle for war trauma which began so long ago for the Vietnamese people whether they are from the north, central, or south.

Back to the Conference Program

Last modified on by LC