Documentary on Vietnamese AO victim screened at US Senate

4/7/17
Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh at the film screening event. “Chau, beyond the lines”, a 35-minute documentary 
about Vietnamese AO victim was on screen at the US Senate headquarters on June 28th.

A 35-minute documentary about a Vietnamese teenage victim of Agent Orange (AO) was screened at the US Senate headquarters in Washington DC on June 28th.
The event was held by the War Legacies Project (WLP), US Senate and the Vietnamese Embassy in the US. 
Senator Patrick Leahy affirmed he will continue to endorse two countries’ relations, including cooperation to recover war and AO consequences in Vietnam. By mobilising support from the US Senate, he hoped Vietnamese AO victims will receive more attention from the US public.
For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh thanked Leahy and his colleagues for backing Vietnam and helping Vietnamese war victims. 
He also expressed his gratitude to the director, Courtney Marsh, for spending eight years making such a touching documentary, which was nominated for the 88th edition of the Oscars in the short documentary category.
The film conveys a humanitarian message and calls for the US and international organisations to offer more assistance to Vietnamese AO victims, Vinh said.
Meanwhile, Marsh said that the her documentary project was extended from one week to eight years, filming Vietnamese teenagers who were born with birth defects due to Agent Orange.
She pledged to call for further support for the victims and hoped to return to Vietnam soon.
“Chau, beyond the lines” focuses on the life of Le Minh Chau, an AO victim. It depicts the teenager’s struggle in realising his dream to become a professional artist and clothing designer.
Despite being told that his ambitions were unrealistic, Chau was determined to live an independent and productive life.
Nine years ago, Marsh, who was in her final year at university, arrived in Vietnam to make a documentary about street children in Ho Chi Minh city. Later, she was introduced to the Peace Village where AO victims being cared for. After that she decided to change the topic of her documentary.
Chau was no ordinary 15 year-old, forced to walk on his knees after being born with debilitating birth defects that resulted from the lingering effects of the herbicide that was widely used during wars in Vietnam.
Marsh found him to be extraordinary, specifically his persistence in his desire to become an artist./.


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All comments [ 10 ]


John Smith 5/7/17 22:22

Vietnam is very hopeful that the US will cooperate with Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of the US chemical warfare in Vietnam, which was considered the most cruel in human history.

Gentle Moon 5/7/17 22:24

US officials required scientific research on the issue. But no one can tell when the research will end if we just follow this direction?

LawrenceSamuels 5/7/17 22:24

Please come to victims of Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin – to the human extreme pain. The pain of AO victims is human beings’ pain...

Red Star 5/7/17 22:25

This struggle for justice is for AO victims in not only Vietnam but also many other countries, for not only the present generation but also future generations, and for a world of peace and justice and without weapons of mass destruction.

yobro yobro 5/7/17 22:27

The Canadian veterans have started to feel empathy with Vietnamese AO victims and decided to stand on their side in their struggle for justice.

For A Peace World 5/7/17 22:27

People with common sense are trying to force the governments, supposed to hold the responsibility, to do what they should do for all people, whose lives have been changed, interrupted, damaged or taken by chemical defoliants.

Socialist Society 5/7/17 22:28

the issue should be submitted to and handled by the UN General Assembly

Me Too! 5/7/17 22:29

I believe that it is time to take care of all victims of these toxic chemicals and their next generations.

Vietnam Love 5/7/17 22:30

This would be a long-time, painful and costly process, which a single country cannot afford to handle.

Voice of people 5/7/17 22:31

The chemical defoliant issue with its widespread domain and a large number of casualties of Vietnamese people must be viewed as a world humanitarian crisis; therefore, it needs assistance from the UN as only this international organization is able to take care of such a long-time, resource-extensive and costly support project.

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