Asia in Film

Title -- Broken Journey, Mending Dreams (1992) 56min

The moving story of a Vietnamese family in search of itself after the devastation caused by the Vietnam War. After 18 years in Australia, Hanh Tran is making his first journey home to Vietnam. It's a dream that has finally come true. Amidst the reunion of tears and laughter, an extraordinary family saga emerges. This film is not just about Hanh's family but also life in contemporary Vietnam - a society in transition. Hanh compares this with his life in Australia. He admits to "stepping in and out of being an insider and an outsider".

Title -- Vietnam Symphony (2005) 52min

In 1965, as the Vietnam War intensified and Hanoi faced the threat of massive US bombing, students and teachers from the National Conservatory of Music were forced to flee the city for the relative safety of a small village in the countryside. With the help of villagers, they built an entire campus underground, creating a maze of hidden tunnels, connecting an auditorium and classrooms. Here, as the war raged around them, they lived, studied and played music for five years. Vietnam Symphony tells their extraordinary story.
 

Provided in partnership with Ames Public Library, Asiatic Philharmonia Society, and the Durbin-Zheng Family. Supported by the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation.