Jimmy in Saigon explores the mysterious death, radical life, and forbidden romance of a 24 year old Vietnam veteran who died in Saigon in 1972 after leaving the army and becoming a pacifist. Director Peter McDowell, Jimmy’s younger brother, was only 5 years old when Jimmy died under a shroud of secrecy and shame. His 10 year journey provides an empathetic lens through which to explore Jimmy’s life in Saigon - a story of adventure and of love that was taboo at the time and still challenging today. Peter finds surprising connections with his deceased brother and struggles to reach a new understanding of his own identity as a gay man.
Jimmy in Saigon explores the mysterious death, radical life, and forbidden romance of a 24 year old Vietnam veteran who died in Saigon in 1972 after leaving the army and becoming a pacifist. Director Peter McDowell, Jimmy’s younger brother, was only 5 years old when Jimmy died under a shroud of secrecy and shame. His 10 year journey provides an empathetic lens through which to explore Jimmy’s life in Saigon - a story of adventure and of love that was taboo at the time and still challenging today. Peter finds surprising connections with his deceased brother and struggles to reach a new understanding of his own identity as a gay man.