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Vietnam: Land of the Ascending Dragon was released in 1994,
before the U.S. trade embargo was lifted, in an effort to put
the "American War" in historical context and give
American audiences a new look at Vietnam. We wanted to show
Ho Chi Minh as the father of Vietnam, without the usual anti-communist
propaganda that had marked American television narratives. And
we hoped to accelerate the healing between veterans in both
countries.
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To most Americans, the names of cities in Vietnam are linked
with battles. For example the city of Hue is often linked with
the Tet offensive and Hanoi with the Hanoi Hilton prison and
is perceived as the seat of communist power. Our objective was
to show Hue as the old imperial capitol and Hanoi as the capitol
and center of art and culture. The pace is slow because we wanted
to show the traditional performer and listen to the lyrical
music so that Westerners would become acquainted with the softer
side of Vietnam and its struggle for independence. This was
a pivotal point in Vietnam's history with the move to a market
economy, yet still saddled with extreme poverty — partially as
a result of the U.S. led embargo — and by a large government
bureaucracy.
Screenings
• Broadcast worldwide through licenses negotiated
• by International Broadcast Network.
Awards
• Lowell Thomas Award from the Society of American Travel
Writers Foundation
• CINE Golden Eagle, 1994
• Bronze Apple from the National Educational Film &
Video Festival, 1994.
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