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 28. (Photo: VNA)Washington D.C (VNA) – A 35-minute documentary about a Vietnameseteenage victim of Agent Orange (AO) was screened at the US Senate headquartersin Washington DC on June 28.
The event was held by the War Legacies Project (WLP), US Senate and the VietnameseEmbassy 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 willreceive more attention from the US public.
For his part, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh thanked Leahy and hiscolleagues for backing Vietnam and helping Vietnamese war victims.
He also expressed his gratitude to the director, Courtney Marsh, for spendingeight 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 internationalorganisations to offer more assistances to Vietnamese AO victims, Vinh said.
Meanwhile, Marsh said that the her documentary project was extended from oneweek to eight years, filming Vietnamese teenagers who were born with birthdefects due to Agent Orange.
She pledged to call for further support for the victims and hoped to return toVietnam soon.
“Chau, beyond the lines” focuses on the life of Le Minh Chau, an AO victim. Itdepicts the teenager’s struggle in realising his dream to become a professionalartist and clothing designer.
Despite being told that his ambitions were unrealistic, Chau was determined tolive an independent and productive life.
Nine years ago, Marsh, who was in her final year at university, arrived inVietnam 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. Afterthat she decided to change the topic of her documentary.
Chau was no ordinary 15 year-old, forced to walk on his knees after being bornwith debilitating birth defects that resulted from the lingering effects of theherbicide that was widely used during wars in Vietnam.
Marsh found him to be extraordinary, specifically his persistence in his desireto become an artist.-VNA
VNA
