Daughter from Danang (2002)

Separated at the end of the Vietnam war, an "Americanized" woman and her Vietnamese mother are reunited after 22 years.

Directors:

Gail Dolgin, Vicente Franco

Stars:

Mai Thi Kim, Heidi Neville-Bub, Gerald Ford

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mai Thi Kim	...	Herself
Heidi Neville-Bub	...	Herself
Gerald Ford	...	Himself (archive footage)
Tom Miller	...	Himself
Tran Tuong Nhu	...	Herself
Mabel Neville	...	Herself
Don Neville	...	Himself
Royce Hughes	...	Herself
Wanda Hamlett	...	Herself
John Bub	...	Himself
Do Huu Vinh	...	Himself
Do Trong Tinh	...	Himself
Do Thi Thu Hien	...	Herself
Do Thi Hong Lien	...	Herself
Dinh Dung	...	Himself

Storyline

In 1975, as the Vietnam War was ending, thousands of orphans and Amerasian children were brought to the United States as part of "Operation Babylift." Daughter from Danang tells the dramatic story of one of these children, Heidi Bub (a.k.a. Mai Thi Hiep), and her Vietnamese mother, Mai Thi Kim, separated at the war's end and reunited 22 years later. Heidi, now living in Tennessee - a married woman with kids - had always dreamt of a joyful reunion. When she ventures to Vietnam to meet her mother, she unknowingly embarks on an emotional pilgrimage that spans decades and distance. Unlike most reunion stories that climax with a cliché happy ending, Daughter from Danang is a real-life drama. Journeying from the Vietnam War to Pulaski, Tennessee and back to Vietnam, Daughter from Danang tensely unfolds as cultural differences and the years of separation take their toll in a riveting film about longing and the personal legacy of war.

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Plot Keywords:

vietnam | vietnam war | reunion | tennessee | vietnamese | 

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Genres:

Documentary | War

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Vietnamese

Release Date:

11 January 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

I kori apo to Danang

Filming Locations:

Da Nang, Vietnam

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Royce Hughes: We made a Southerner out of her really quick as far as that goes.

User Reviews

should have won an Oscar

Had it been some probable twist of fate, Heidi would be standing in their sandals amongst the squalor. Perhaps she could not provide much assistance given her own circumstances but that's no reason to cut off her family like she did. She could continue some communication through a third party and help out if she could. She could attempt to make them understand how things are in the U.S. and that she has been raised in a different standard of living that is unlike what they go through in Vietnam. The tragedy of this story is the misunderstanding that belies these two cultures and says a lot about our poor understanding of each other.