Queer family, chosen and otherwise, constitute the connection between the films that fall in the Apples & Trees program. Parents and their children navigate the complexities of coming out, staying out, and living out in this collection of shorts desiccated to the space between generations.
Vietnamese Ma (Elyse Dinh) and Ba (Joseph Hieu) prepare a turkey for the following day's Thanksgiving dinner. Their son, Tuan (Devin Hong) will be in attendance, in part to introduce his new partner to his family. When are surprised by the introduction, they need to renegotiate their understanding of their son and the holiday ahead. Thanksgiving highlights the capacity for familial love in the face of immense change.
A Vietnamese-American take on the classic coming-out tale, Thanksgiving brings to the forefront a merging of Vietnamese and American cultural traditions. Told primarily from Ma's point of view, the film is a careful look into the emotions of a family learning to understand one another in an ever-evolving social landscape. In exploring this space, Thanksgiving addresses the complex realities of what it means for not only an individual, but a family and a culture, to break free from heteronormative social expectations. What results from this simple rawness is a beautiful story of acceptance, resilience, and belonging.
Van B. Nguyen's second short film, Thanksgiving, has been showcased at Asians on Film Festival, Viet Film Fest, and more since its premiere.
– Cameron Asharian, Damn These Heels programming committee member
- Year2018
- Runtime11 minutes
- LanguageEnglish and Vietnamese
- CountryUS
- PremiereIntermountain West Premiere
- RatingNot Rated
- DirectorVan B. Nguyen
Queer family, chosen and otherwise, constitute the connection between the films that fall in the Apples & Trees program. Parents and their children navigate the complexities of coming out, staying out, and living out in this collection of shorts desiccated to the space between generations.
Vietnamese Ma (Elyse Dinh) and Ba (Joseph Hieu) prepare a turkey for the following day's Thanksgiving dinner. Their son, Tuan (Devin Hong) will be in attendance, in part to introduce his new partner to his family. When are surprised by the introduction, they need to renegotiate their understanding of their son and the holiday ahead. Thanksgiving highlights the capacity for familial love in the face of immense change.
A Vietnamese-American take on the classic coming-out tale, Thanksgiving brings to the forefront a merging of Vietnamese and American cultural traditions. Told primarily from Ma's point of view, the film is a careful look into the emotions of a family learning to understand one another in an ever-evolving social landscape. In exploring this space, Thanksgiving addresses the complex realities of what it means for not only an individual, but a family and a culture, to break free from heteronormative social expectations. What results from this simple rawness is a beautiful story of acceptance, resilience, and belonging.
Van B. Nguyen's second short film, Thanksgiving, has been showcased at Asians on Film Festival, Viet Film Fest, and more since its premiere.
– Cameron Asharian, Damn These Heels programming committee member
- Year2018
- Runtime11 minutes
- LanguageEnglish and Vietnamese
- CountryUS
- PremiereIntermountain West Premiere
- RatingNot Rated
- DirectorVan B. Nguyen
